The Wheelhouse: Recent Episodes
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John Larson hasn’t faced a stiff challenge from a member of his own party since he was first elected to represent Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District in 1998.
Larson touts his experience as a 14-term representative, saying his seniority in Congress helps Connecticut. But his challengers say that Larson has been in Washington too long and that it’s time for a fresh perspective.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll talk to Larson about his re-election effort. And we’ll meet his challengers, including former Hartford mayor Luke Bronin, who is the endorsed candidate in this race, Connecticut State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford), and Hartford attorney Ruth Fortune.
Guests:
- U.S. Rep. John Larson (D-CT)
- Luke Bronin, candidate, Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District
- Ruth Fortune, candidate, Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District
- Jillian Gilchrest, candidate, Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District
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Children as young as 5 are being resettled in Connecticut after being picked up by federal law enforcement at the U.S. border.
Attorneys for these unaccompanied children say they’re being held for too long and in some cases, aren’t released to sponsors at all until legal action is taken.
This hour, we examine the U.S. government’s obligation to unaccompanied children.
And later in the show, we’ll discuss the Aug. 11 primary elections in Connecticut and a new federal law that could help Connecticut officials in their fight against their affordable housing crisis.
Guests:
- Tess Reagan, managing attorney, Kids In Need of Defense
- Sabrina Tavi, senior attorney and director, Center for Children’s Advocacy
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, investigative reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Group’s CT Insider
- Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror
- Mark Pazniokas, capitol bureau chief and a co-founder, CT Mirror
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Health insurance through the Affordable Care Act still exists nearly two years after candidate Donald Trump said he had “concepts of a plan” to replace it.
But even though many Americans still have access, it doesn’t mean coverage is affordable. New data out of Access Health CT reveals at least 22,000 Connecticut residents lost coverage after failing to make premium payments.
Today on the Wheelhouse, what’s left of the ACA and how is President Trump’s White House approaching health care policy?
Guests:
- Julie Appleby, senior correspondent, KFF Health News
- Katy Golvala, health reporter, CT Mirror
- Kathleen Unger Holt, Healthcare Advocate, state of Connecticut
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly making its way into Connecticut’s classrooms.
Connecticut lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill 5, a sweeping new law that includes investments in computer science education and the creation of a statewide AI Academy.
Supporters say it prepares students for the future, while educators are also grappling with questions about ethics, academic integrity, and AI literacy.
This hour, we learn what Connecticut's new approach to AI could mean for the next generation of learners.
GUESTS:
- Sen. James Maroney, Democrat representing Milford, Orange, West Haven, and Woodbridge
- Irene Parisi, chief academic officer, Connecticut State Department of Education
- David Bergman, associate dean for faculty and research, University of Connecticut School of Business
- Adam Nemeroff, assistant provost for innovations in learning, teaching and technology, Quinnipiac University
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As America celebrates its 250th birthday, many of the ideas at the heart of the nation's founding — from freedom and representation to checks and balances — remain subjects of fierce public debate.
This hour, we explore America's official time capsule and the artifacts Connecticut is sending into the future.
What story are we telling about who we are in 2026? And what does that story reveal about who we hope to become?
GUESTS:
- Tom Medema, special advisor to America 250 and project manager for America’s Time Capsule
- Cyndi Tolosa, Director of Advancement, CT Humanities, project manager for America 250 Connecticut Commission
- Sarah Atwell, Durham’s America 250 Committee leader
- Jason Hayes, First Selectman of East Granby
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“Suffs” is a Tony-award winning Broadway play celebrating the American women who fought for voting rights. This hour, we learn about the fight for the 19th amendment.
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From Hurricane Maria through this year’s Super Bowl, Bad Bunny, the “King of Latin Trap” continues to weave politics into his lyrics.
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What makes a politician click with voters?
Is it the message? The smile? The slogan? Or that one campaign ad everyone can't stop talking about?
Today on The Wheelhouse, we go behind the scenes with political strategists to explore the making of a politician.
We'll break down the speeches, slogans, handshakes, photo ops, and yes – even the cringeworthy campaign ads.
Guests:
- Jill Barkley Roy, director, Emerge Action Fund
- Liz Kurantowicz, Republican analyst and owner, The Drury Group
- Mercy Quaye, founder and CEO, The Narrative Project
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Can I afford that big summer vacation?
It’s a question many people ask this time of year. And the answer may hinge on greater economic forces at play.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May that costs were up 3.8%. Moody’s – a financial services company – tells CNBC that the average American household is spending $450 more on gas and energy since U.S. airstrikes began in Iran earlier this year.
We'll explore how public policy and politics are impacting consumer spending this summer.
Guests:
- Mark Blyth, professor of international and public affairs, Brown University
- Rachel Lenda, director of tourism, Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development
- David Standridge, chef, The Shipwright's Daughter restaurant
- Paul Brault, owner, Lobster Tales food truck
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Connecticut lawmakers have expanded protections for undocumented migrants.
They passed a law earlier this year that could keep the migrants from being picked up by federal law enforcement in a way state lawmakers say is unlawful.
The state law comes while the federal judicial system is flooded with new cases as U.S. Immigration and Enforcement officers detain thousands of people.
Hear from Politico reporter Kyle Cheney on how federal judges are pushing back against the detentions and from Connecticut Public reporter Daniela Doncel on the state’s efforts to turn back enforcement efforts.
Guests:
- Kyle Cheney, senior legal affairs reporter, Politico
- Daniela Doncel, Latino communities reporter, Connecticut Public
- Mike Lawlor, the associate dean of the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven
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Journey inside the mind of a lawmaker on the next Wheelhouse as we tap into the experience of a panel of politicians with more than 80 years of combined experience serving the people of Connecticut. We’ll ask about bipartisanship and the challenges or reaching across the aisle in 2026.
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A bill to more closely regulate homeschooling passed the state legislature as the 2026 session came to a close this month.
The proposal faced significant pushback from Republicans and parents who homeschool their children. Opponents of the new rules say they are inconsistent with the state’s civil-liberties tradition.
But child advocates and lawmakers supporting the rules say they will help track and better protect kids.
Today on The Wheelhouse, an interview with the newly-confirmed state child advocate on what she hopes is one piece Connecticut can improve to protect its children.
Guests:
- Christina Ghio, child advocate, State of Connecticut
- Theo Peck-Suzuki, education reporter, CT Mirror
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Louisiana’s congressional map could have major consequences for voters across the country.
Critics say the decision weakens the Voting Rights Act and could make it harder for minority communities to elect candidates of their choice.
On the next Wheelhouse, who wins and who loses when lawmakers redraw political maps? How might the Supreme Court decision impact how Connecticut voting districts are drawn up? And how might the 2026 midterm elections be influenced?
A Segment: Alec Hernández, a politics reporter at Politico
B Segment: Kyle Evans, the assistant professor of mathematics at Assumption University, and Bilal Sekou, the associate professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford
C Segment: Kyle Evans, the assistant professor of mathematics at Assumption University, and Bilal Sekou, the associate professor of politics and government at the University of Hartford
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Connecticut lawmakers in 2026 have worked on a new budget deal, debated homeschool regulation and tossed around the political football that is skyrocketing energy costs.
There’s still more business to do with one more day of lawmaking at the state Capitol, followed by more business up ahead on the campaign trail.
Today on The Wheelhouse, local politics and the end of the 2026 legislative session.
Guests:
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
- Ebong Udoma, Senior reporter, WSHU
- Harriet Jones, director, Connecticut Student Journalism Collaborative
- Bruce Putterman, publisher and CEO, CT Mirror
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At least 1,000 people lost access to gender-affirming care in Connecticut in the wake of a federal threat to strip health care providers of benefits.
Pressure from the Trump administration resulted in several Connecticut hospitals winding down programs for youth gender-affirming care last summer. But in March, Connecticut and 20 other states successfully sued to block a declaration carrying out Trump’s directives. Now, Connecticut lawmakers are working on other ways to shield trans people and their health care providers.
Today on The Wheelhouse, the politics of hormones and the effort to preserve gender-affirming care.
Guests:
- Lindsey Dawson, director of LGBTQ+ policy, KFF
- Melissa Combs, organizer, Equality Connecticut
- Jona Tanguay, president, GLMA (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality)
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We’re in the final days of the 2025-26 academic year.
A lot has happened since the fall, including the assassination of a conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, the rise of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and another U.S. conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we hear how students at the University of Hartford are keeping up with the political process.
Guests:
- Merci Payadue, politics and government student, University of Hartford
- Farah Suede, politics and government student, University of Hartford
- Bilal Sekou, associate professor of politics and government, University of Hartford
- Jonathan Wharton, associate professor of political science and urban affairs,Southern Connecticut State University
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Recent redactions to the Epstein files have raised renewed questions about what the government does – and does not – strike from highly sensitive documents.
The black pen has been used on classified materials for decades. But amid renewed calls for disclosure, more Americans are raising questions about the politics behind what stays in and what gets taken out.
Today on the Wheelhouse, we’re talking about government redactions and the power of the pen.
Guests:
- Sam Lebovic: history professor at George Mason University
- Barbara McQuade: former U.S. Attorney, United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan
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President Donald Trump says the U.S. conflict with Iran is “nearing completion.”
He’s addressed the American people after gas prices soared and markets panicked.
It’s a story America knows all too well, with a reliance on fossil fuels causing many crises including in 1973, 1979, 1999, and 2022.
Today on the Wheelhouse, we’re looking at oil and how it shapes U.S. foreign policy.
Guests:
- Tik Root, senior staff writer, Grist
- Jeff D. Colgan, professor of political science and international and public affairs, Brown University
- Áine Pennello, Report for America Environmental and Climate Change reporter, CT Public
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What you see on the internet could influence how you see one side of a political debate.
Whether it was the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a federal law enforcement, – or what NPR is calling “America’s first AI-fueled war” in Iran, images generated online may distort what’s actually happening.
Today on The Wheelhouse, as trust in news reaches new lows, how is artificial intelligence fueling larger media skepticism?
Guests:
- Alyssa Appelman, associate professor in the William White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Kansas University
- Renee Hobbs, professor in the Department of Communication Studies, University of Rhode Island
- Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror
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Connecticut has sued the federal government to keep colleges and universities from releasing race-based admissions data to the White House.
Ahead of “Ivy Day,” when students will learn if they’ve gotten into some of the country’s most prestigious schools, we’re re-visiting a 2023 Supreme Court decision that effectively banned affirmative action in collegiate enrollment.
We’ll hear from the president of Wesleyan University about the challenges facing higher education and ask if people of color are getting a fair shake in the college admissions process.
Guests:
- Michael Roth, president, Wesleyan University
- Bilal Sekou,Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
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The White House and the U.S. Department of Defense are incorporating “maximum lethality” into their rhetoric about the war in Iran.
It’s hyper-masculine language, tied to a misogynistic and fringe internet culture known to target women.
At a time when administration officials are selling Iran airstrikes with montages of popular moments in American culture, the line between triumph and tragedy is blurring.
Today on The Wheelhouse, the real life consequences of online hyper-masculinity on women around the globe.
Guests:
- Adam Aleksic, linguist, The Etymology Nerd
- Jiyoun Suk, professor in the department of communications, University of Connecticut
- Saed Hill, president-elect, Society for the Psychology of Men and Masculinities, American Psychological Association
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Election results from 2024 have necessitated deep dives into the manosphere.These podcasts often don’t focus on political horse races – and many of the people on them say they’re not political.
But, according to one data firm, 54% of votes from men aged 18 to 29 were cast for Donald Trump. And his campaign did a lot of outreach to appear on the podcasts, courting an audience demographic that once went the other way.
Today on The Wheelhouse, with the midterms coming up in November we ask: Can MAGA still count on the manosphere?
Guests:
- Elena Moore, political reporter, NPR’s Washington Desk
- Charlie Sabgir, director, Young Men Research Project
- Theodore R. Johnson, contributing columnist, The Washington Post
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Across Connecticut, some students are joining a national movement to protest federal immigration crackdowns.
Students from Classical Magnet School in Hartford poured out of the classroom and onto the streets in February, holding up signs like “ICE OUT” to passing cars.
The demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement are happening in places like Hartford, Tampa and Northern Virginia in the weeks since federal agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis.
This hour, we’re discussing student protests and other ways young people are engaging in civics. We'll also get the latest on the developing conflict in Iran and the Middle East.
Guests:
- U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)
- Gina Chace, assistant principal, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering
- Annmarie Timmins, senior reporter on youth and education, NHPR
- Chris Doyle,history teacher, Avon Old Farms
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A plan sponsored by President Donald Trump to overhaul national voting laws ahead of the 2026 midterms is back in Congress.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) called the SAVE America Act and its recent passage in the U.S. House a “critical step toward restoring election integrity.” But detractors, like U.S. Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), said the plan would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote.
Today on The Wheelhouse, the impact on voters, if the SAVE America Act passes. Also on the show, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) responds to Trump’s State of the Union address and gives the latest on the ongoing debate about government funding and immigration reform.
GUESTS:
- U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)
- Bilal Sekou,Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
- Archon Fung, Professor of citizenship and self-government, Harvard University
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A panel of civic-minded individuals answer questions at the University of Connecticut’s Hartford campus about engagement and the connective tissue of politics.
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Connecticut lawmakers want to reduce kids’ screentime in 2026, arguing that it protects children.
Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed banning cell phones from “bell to bell” in Connecticut classrooms.
But not all lawmakers are onboard with the idea, including a Republican lawmaker who’s accusing members of her legislative chamber of trying to “co-parent” Connecticut’s children.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we explore “Phone Free CT” and what it means for children.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Jennifer Leeper,CT House of Representatives, D-Fairfield, Southport
- Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, CT House of Representatives, R-Southington, Wolcott
- Gail Jordan, president, Bloomfield Teachers Union
- John Murphy, professor of digital media business strategies, University of Connecticut
- Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror
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State lawmakers return to Hartford Wednesday for the opening of the 2026 legislative session.
They meet as federal lawmakers argue over expiring health care subsidies and immigration enforcement operations across the country.
In Connecticut, how will these federal cuts and controversies impact the work lawmakers do this session? And with soaring energy costs continuing to hammer Connecticut customers, might there be room for bipartisan compromise?
Guests:
- Rep. Vincent Candelora, House Republican Leader, R-North Branford
- Rep. Matt Ritter, Speaker of House, D-Hartford
- Susan Raff, chief political reporter, WFSB News Channel 3
- Ebong Udoma, senior reporter, WSHU
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“Suffs,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about history-making women, is coming to Hartford.
From Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, the people behind “Suffs” say they’ll highlight themes of the past that are still relevant today including grassroots activism, race, gender and class dynamics.
Producers of "Suffs" say it isn’t some “dry history lesson,” but a high-energy, rousing experience saluting the powerful American women who fought for the right to vote.
Today on The Wheelhouse, meet Danyel Fulton, the actor that plays journalist Ida B. Wells. And we'll explore the suffragist movement in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Danyel Fulton, actor/singer, “Suffs”
- Rachel Sussman, creative producer, “Suffs”
- Natalie Belanger, public programs manager, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
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Civilians and federal ICE agents are clashing from Hartford to Minneapolis.
Federal officials are amping up enforcement efforts – and rhetoric – in the wake of several shootings in Minnesota at the hands of federal ICE agents.
How are protesters and journalists responding?
Today on The Wheelhouse, government accountability and transparency in 2026.
GUESTS:
- Elana Bildner, staff attorney, ACLU-CT
- Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, author and professor of constitutional law, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director, International Women’s Media Foundation
- Miles Pinsof-Berlowitz, co editor-in-chief, The Wesleyan Argus
- Thomas Lyons, co editor-in-chief, The Wesleyan Argus
- Janhavi Munde, managing editor, The Wesleyan Argus
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Visitors to U.S. national parks get in free on certain holidays.
But two days honoring Black history, Martin Luther King’s birthday – and Juneteenth – are no longer free.
As America marks 40 years of observing MLK Day, today on the Wheelhouse we’ll look at how the current Republican administration in Washington is marking King’s birthday and what that means for Black history.
GUESTS:
- Bilal Sekou,Hillyer College associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
- Alan Spears, senior director of cultural resources in the government affairs department, National Parks Conservation Association
- Charlie Sykes, writer of “To the Contrary,” Substack
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2026 grads seeking professional degrees face capped loans thanks to funding cuts in the federal Republican tax and spending plan
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How did Connecticut earn the moniker “Constitution State”?
Hint – it’s not the Constitution you learned about in history class!
We’ll travel back to the 1600s to explore how history, conflict and big aspirations helped shape the state’s identity.
GUESTS:
- Thomas Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and director of the Center for Connecticut Studies
- Kathy Craughwell-Varda, director of Conservation ConneCTion, Connecticut State Library
- Andrea Rapacz, chief curator of collections, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
This episode originally aired on Aug. 20, 2025.
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Free speech is in focus at this year’s Wheelhouse LIVE event amid significant shifts in the world of broadcast media. If free press is the cornerstone of American Democracy, what do the Trump administration’s attacks on late night TV hosts – and Congress’ claw back of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting – tell us about the future of American politics and pop culture?
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Trad wives, short for “traditional wives,” are taking social media by storm.
Clips of women, dressing up in 1950s-style dresses, homesteading and making food from scratch, are receiving a lot of likes and lots of criticism on the web.
This hour, we peek behind the apron and ask: What does social media's trad wife phenomenon tell us about politics today?
Guests:
- Jessica Grose, opinion writer, The New York Times
- Carrie Baker, professor of the Study of Women & Gender, Smith College
- Micah English, fifth year Ph.D. candidate, Yale University
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From toys to turkeys, holiday purchases and their price tags are being shaped by politics.
President Donald Trump’s tariffs and years of persistent inflation are leaving many Americans with sticker shock. Higher prices are hitting not just for big importers, but also at your favorite local shops and restaurants.
Many Americans tell Consumer Reports that they’re “very or extremely” concerned about price increases – with three-quarters of respondents pointing to tariffs as a big reason why.
This hour, we’re exploring the impact of the economy on holiday shopping here in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Daniel Desrochers, international trade reporter, Politico
- Chris Raymond, home and tech editor, Consumer Reports
- Daniela Doncel, Latino communities reporter, Connecticut Public
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Connecticut lawmakers had a lot to do during the latest special session.
On top of unfinished housing business, lawmakers had only two days to authorize a $500 million dollar relief package to address federal cuts. They also voted on the purchase of a major hospital and worked to curb increased federal law enforcement efforts in Connecticut.
And what about the spectre of rising health insurance premiums in just a few weeks?
Today on The Wheelhouse, the skinny on what state lawmakers were able to accomplish in a special session. We’ll also ask what’s next following the longest federal shutdown in US history.
GUESTS:
- Michayla Savitt, state government reporter, Connecticut Public
- Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror
- Abby Brone, housing reporter, Connecticut Public
- Ginny Monk, children's issues and housing reporter, Connecticut Mirror
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A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist University poll indicated Americans’ displeasure with their government.
It found 62% of Americans surveyed believed the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 79 % say the country is going too far to restrict free speech.
So, what are people doing with their frustrations?
Today on The Wheelhouse, we’re talking with community organizers and researchers who say our voices are stronger than we think.
GUESTS:
- Kerry Ellington, Connecticut-based community organizer
- Hahrie Han, professor of political science, Johns Hopkins University
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It’s the morning after Election Day 2025 in Connecticut and we’re breaking down the latest results from municipal races across the state.
How did an election to name a new mayor in New Britain turn out? What races commanded local attention in your community? And what issues – from education to zoning – motivated you to get out to the polls?
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas joins us to break down turnout and assess how voting went across Connecticut.
And in neighboring New York City, a high-profile race for mayor is reshaping the city. What are the local impacts here in Connecticut?
Today on The Wheelhouse, those questions will be tackled as our reporters analyze the 2025 election.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas, capitol bureau chief and a co-founder, CT Mirror
- Susan Raff, chief political reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
- Stephanie Thomas,Secretary of the State, State of Connecticut
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More Americans now think violence is necessary to “right” the country than they did 18 months ago. That’s according to polling from NPR, PBS News and Marist University.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has federalized and deployed national guard troops to American cities, sparking a flurry of court challenges and an outbreak of panic.
Today on The Wheelhouse, how political violence continues to reverberate throughout the United States.
And why, in a country born from a revolution and torn by a Civil War, it’s nothing new.
GUESTS:
- William Tong, attorney general, state of Connecticut
- State Rep. Corey Paris (D) - Stamford
- Amilcar Shabazz, professor of African American Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Bilal Sekou, Associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
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New data confirms what people pushing for criminal justice reform have been saying for years – racial disparities show up during encounters with police.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut say Black people face disproportionate rates of police use-of-force in Connecticut. And that a significant share of those incidents involve someone in mental health distress.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what reforms can Connecticut lawmakers take to ensure better policing?
Plus, as a government shutdown drags on, we ask how are local families doing?
GUESTS:
- Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror
- Ken Barone, project manager, the University of Connecticut’s Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy
- Jim Haddadin, investigative editor, Connecticut Public
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Polls show that more Americans are embracing socialism.
At the same time, politicians that call themselves Democratic Socialists are often painted by conservatives as political extremists.
What is a Democratic Socialist? And why is President Donald Trump calling a popular one in the race for New York City’s mayor a communist?
Today on the Wheelhouse, we define socialism. We’ll wade through complicated political waters to examine its history and complex ideology.
GUESTS:
- Dan Haar, senior columnist and editor, CT Insider
- Christopher Vials, professor of English, University of Connecticut
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Recent political violence – and a government shutdown – have turned American politics into a mudslinging free for all.
With more attention on owning the other side – and less emphasis on civility, are there still safe spaces for debate?On college campuses a new survey says more students are self-censoring in favor of speaking freely.
Today on The Wheelhouse, a temperature check on political dialogue with a college Democrat and a college Republican. How are these Connecticut students charting a path forward?
GUESTS:
- Geoffrey Medeiros, president of College Democrats, University of Connecticut
- Ryan Rosario,president of College Democrats, University of Connecticut
- Bilal Sekou, Associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
- Jonathan Wharton, Associate professor of political science and urban affairs,Southern Connecticut State University
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The Connecticut Sun could be the latest professional franchise to pull out of Connecticut.
But a full court press of politicians is working to save the WNBA franchise and keep the team right here in Connecticut. According to CT Insider, lawmakers want to use state pension funds to buy a minority stake in the team.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what state officials are doing to “Save Our Sun” in the self-proclaimed the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
GUESTS:
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
- Kurt Badenhausen, sports valuations reporter, Sportico
- P.R. Lockhart, economic development reporter, CT Mirror
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Beth Bye, a former state lawmaker and outgoing head of the Office of Early Childhood, is retiring from state service after years of work helping young children.
Bye’s retirement comes after the state legislature passed a sweeping bill last session offering free child care to many Connecticut families.
Today on The Wheelhouse, an exit interview with Beth Bye. Plus, we check in with another advocate for children, Sarah Eagan, about her concern for the state’s social safety net.
GUESTS:
- Beth Bye, commissioner, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
- Sarah Eagan, executive director, Center for Children’s Advocacy
- Georgia Goldburn, executive director, Hope for New Haven, Inc.
- Michayla Savitt,state government reporter, Connecticut Public
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Federal tax credits for electric vehicles will expire at the end of September.
Connecticut residents also won’t be able to access other federal incentives for heat pumps, rooftop solar and home energy audits.
Today on The Wheelhouse, how local officials can promote energy efficiency amid a federal rollback on clean energy.
Also – Connecticut’s freedom of information law turns 50 this year. We talk to reporters about continued efforts to hold officials accountable in 2025.
GUESTS:
- Katie Dykes, commissioner, Connecticut Department. of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Áine Pennello, Report for America corps member environmental and climate change reporter at Connecticut Public
- Chris Harto, senior policy analyst for transportation and energy, Consumer Reports
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas,investigative reporter, CT Insider
- Jim Haddadin, investigative editor, Connecticut Public
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, is defending his policies on Capitol Hill. He recently spoke to Congress following a brain drain at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s director was fired. And several other high-level officials have also left the agency. They say Kennedy is weakening the administration with what they call “unscientific views.”
Today on The Wheelhouse, we ask public health officials in Connecticut how they’re preparing for the next pandemic and their thoughts on the future of health policy amid a nationwide movement to “Make America Healthy Again.”
GUESTS:
- Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter, The New York Times
- Lynn Sosa, Infectious Diseases Director, CT Department of Public Health
- Sujata Srinivasan, senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
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President Donald Trump declared war on immigration from his first day in office.
Since then, the White House has vowed to protect Americans from what it’s calling an “invasion.”
U.S. Sen Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is troubled by recent action, including a statewide sweep by immigration authorities that resulted in 65 arrests.
Murphy accuses Trump of using racist tropes on immigration to distract Americans from his “corruption and lawlessness.”
Today on The Wheelhouse, we talk to Murphy about the White House’s domestic policy agenda.
You’ll also hear from Daniela Doncel and Maysoon Khan, two Connecticut Public reporters, about a special immigration status reserved for abused migrant youth – and how it’s being rolled back.
GUESTS:
- U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy
- Archon Fung, professor of citizenship and self-government, Harvard University
- Mark Hugo Lopez, director of race and ethnicity research, Pew Research Center
- Daniela Doncel, Latino communities reporter, Connecticut Public
- Maysoon Khan,investigative reporter, Connecticut Public
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Beginning on September 1, Congress will race to finalize the federal budget before the September 30 deadline. And Connecticut’s schools are feeling the ripple effects of funding uncertainty.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we talk with educators about the challenges and concerns heading into the new school year.
Plus, we take a close look at one Connecticut district experimenting with a year-round calendar. Tune in to hear what this means for students, families, and teachers alike!
GUESTS:
- Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association
- Fran Rabinowitz, executive director, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
- Lisa Hagan, federal policy reporter, CT Mirror and CT Public
- Cynthia Ritchie, superintendent of schools, New London Public Schools
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How did Connecticut earn the moniker “Constitution State”?
Hint – it’s not the Constitution you learned about in history class!
We’ll travel back to the 1600s to explore how history, conflict and big aspirations helped shape the state’s identity.
GUESTS:
- Thomas Balcerski, professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and director of the Center for Connecticut Studies
- Kathy Craughwell-Varda, director of Conservation ConneCTion, Connecticut State Library
- Andrea Rapacz, chief curator of collections, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
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Even though some anthropologists believe humans are apex predators, a new book argues we’re actually not.
Author Kurt Gray posits understanding our vulnerabilities – coming to terms with our former reality as prey – could help us co-exist in tumultuous political times.
Today on The Wheelhouse, Gray, a social psychologist at The Ohio State University, discusses his book, “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics… and How to Find Common Ground.”
GUESTS:
- Kurt Gray, author, “Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground”
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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It’s 2025 and next year’s congressional races are already heating up.
We’re learning more about U.S. Rep. John Larson’s seat in Connecticut’s First Congressional District. Columnist Dan Haar says the 2026 re-election bid will be Larson’s “toughest challenge” yet.
Are Larson’s age and health a primary factor in a prospective close race?
Today on The Wheelhouse, Dan Haar and constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar tackle that question and explore why the U.S. doesn’t have term limits for Congress.
Also, do you know if there’s lead in your home’s drinking water? We talk to the reporters behind a CT Mirror investigation that found lead in the water lines of thousands of Connecticut homes.
GUESTS:
- Akhil Reed Amar, professor of law and political science, Yale University
- Dan Haar, senior editor and columnist, CT Insider
- Colin McEnroe, host, "The Colin McEnroe Show"
- Andrew Brown, investigative reporter, CT Mirror
- Jenna Carlesso, investigative reporter, CT Mirror
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Gen Z has grown up in an age of school shootings, climate anxiety, the pandemic and the algorithm.
With all that they’ve gone through, how is Gen Z engaging with media and with politics?
Today on The Wheelhouse, we’re looking at the forces shaping Gen Z in Connecticut and across the nation. We’ll explore how this generation votes at the ballot box and ask what their future role may be in American democracy.
GUESTS:
- Rachel Janfaza, associate writer, CNN Politics
- Elena Moore, reporter, NPR’s Washington desk
- Christian Paz, senior politics reporter, Vox
Coco Cooley and Isaac Moss assisted in the production of this episode.
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Legislation seeking to address Connecticut’s affordable housing crisis was vetoed earlier this year by Gov. Ned Lamont. But, the proposal could soon come back in a special session.
If it does, state lawmakers face a question: can they craft an affordable housing plan that satisfies both the governor and local leaders?
Opponents of the original bill say it was pushing quotas on cities and towns. Local leaders said it hampered their ability to make planning and zoning decisions.
But supporters say the law was a “meaningful step” forward in a state plagued by high rents and too little housing.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what’s next for affordable housing legislation in Connecticut?
GUESTS:
- Rep. Jason Rojas, majority leader, CT House Democrats
- Sen. Tony Hwang, Republican representing Easton, Fairfield, Newtown
- Abby Brone, housing reporter, Connecticut Public
- Ginny Monk, children's issues and housing reporter, Connecticut Mirror
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, investigative reporter, CT Insider
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President Donald Trump’s massive tax-and-spending package is officially the law.
The legislation provides tax cuts for some Americans. But it could raise costs for some of the country’s poorest households. That’s due to reductions in Medicaid and food assistance. The legislation Republicans are calling the “big beautiful bill" seeks to cut Medicaid and food stamps by more than $1 trillion.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll dig deeper into how the bill will impact SNAP and Medicaid benefits in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Andrea Barton Reeves, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Social Services
- Sujata Srinivasan, senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
- Amari Brantley, policy coordinator, End Hunger Connecticut!
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Connecticut lawmakers passed some of the most ambitious housing legislation in years this session. The bill looked to address affordable housing, zoning and parking.
But then, Gov. Ned Lamont vetoed it.
The Democrat is now inviting lawmakers to make a new proposal, which he hopes to pass it later this year in a special session.
Today on The Wheelhouse, we’ll speak to the governor live in-studio, asking about that veto. We’ll also get his thoughts on running for a third term.
GUESTS:
- Ned Lamont, governor, state of Connecticut
- Mark Pazniokas, capitol bureau chief and a co-founder, CT Mirror
- Liz Kurantowicz, Republican analyst and co-owner, The Drury Group
- Bilal Sekou,associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, A
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This fall, students at Yale University will take a course called “Bad Bunny: Musical Aesthetics and Politics.”
Bad Bunny, born on the island of Puerto Rico as Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, isn’t the first Latino musician to weave activism into his work. Regarding the Yale class, Bad Bunny told Rolling Stone magazine “I have in the back of my mind that I want to do big things and make a difference, but I do it for myself.”
“I don’t do it hoping that at some point, they’ll offer classes about me at universities,” he said.
Today on The Wheelhouse, how politics and music intersect on the island next door.
GUESTS:
- Albert Laguna, Associate professor of American Studies, Yale University
- Rachel Iacovone, Puerto Rican communities reporter, CT Public
- Petra Rivera-Rideau, Associate Professor of American Studies, Wellesley College
- La Gata, Multimedia Artist and Historian
- Charles Venator Santiago, Associate professor in the departments of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
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Connecticut has hundreds of miles of shoreline, extending from Greenwich in the west to Stonington in the east.
Many of these coastal communities have found ways to exclude certain people. There’s actually a long history of segregation on our shores, dating back decades.
This hour, we’ll look at past and present beach access in Connecticut.
Plus, we’ll look at who does — and does not — get access to quality public spaces like parks.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Kahrl: Professor of history and African American Studies at the University of Virginia and author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline
- Dr. KangJae Lee: Associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, University of Utah
Hear more from Andrew Kahrl in this episode of Disrupted.
This episode originally aired on July 5, 2023 and was produced by Meg Dalton. Our technical producers were Catie Talarski and Cat Pastor. Robyn Doyon-Aitken edited the audio.The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Connecticut lawmakers recently cemented their priorities for the next two years with final passage of a $55.8 billion budget.
At the end of the 2025 legislative session, they were able to find money for Medicaid programs and invest in our children’s future, especially young children.
But some – mainly the minority in the state legislature – say that it comes at too high of a cost.
Today on the Wheelhouse, the “fiscal guardrails” have been breached and lawmakers will press forward amid a foggy federal funding landscape.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Jason Rojas, Majority leader, CT House Democrats
- Rep. Vin Candelora, Minority leader, CT House Republicans
- Alex Putterman, Reporter, CT Insider
- Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, CT Public
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The 2025 legislative session in Connecticut started with lawmakers facing an uncertain future clouded by potential federal funding cuts.
The end of the session is nigh in Connecticut.
Amid these murky days, we know that local lawmakers have taken drastic measures to shore up state Medicaid funding. But how far are they willing to go to secure a new two-year budget deal?
Today on the Wheelhouse, a preview of the last day of regular lawmaking in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief, CT Mirror
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
- Ebong Udoma, Senior reporter, WSHU
- Beth Bye, Commissioner, CT Office of Early Childhood
- Eva Bermudez-Zimmerman, Coalition director, Child Care for CT
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State lawmakers are foregoing budget caps to fund Medicaid.
But with Medicaid relying on two primary funding sources–and U.S. lawmakers poised to pass President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”--the future of low-income healthcare programs is uncertain.
Today on The Wheelhouse, America’s brittle social safety net hangs in the balance.
GUESTS:
- Lisa Hagan, Federal Policy Reporter, CT Mirror and CT Public
- Joan Alker, Reporter, Georgetown University
- John Henry Smith, Host, All Things Considered, CT Public
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George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis in 2020 inspired police reform in America.
Five years ago this week, Americans took to the streets amid a global pandemic to protest Floyd’s murder.
Chants of “Black Lives Matter” reverberated throughout Connecticut. And then, two months after Floyd’s death, Connecticut was one of the first states in the nation to enact police reform legislation.
“I don’t think this day happens without the connection between what’s going on on the streets and why the people are in the building fighting the way they are,” Democratic lawmaker Gary Winfield said after the bill passed through his state senate chamber on July 29, 2020.
Today on the Wheelhouse, an update on police reform – what stuck, and what still needs to be done to protect Black lives…five years after George Floyd.
GUESTS:
- Jeffrey A. Fletcher, Owner and Collector, Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History Museum
- Brakkton Booker, National Political Correspondent, Politico
- Lorenzo Boyd, Professor of Criminal Justice and Community Policing, University of New Haven
- Elizabeth Hinton, Professor of African American Studies, History, and Law, Yale University
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Colleges and universities across the country are facing serious headwinds.
In 2022, college enrollment was 14.8% below peak enrollment in 2010. That’s according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Is a post-pandemic rebound even possible?
Factors like declining enrollment, shifting perceptions of value, and rising financial strain have college and universities in Connecticut and beyond ringing the alarm bell.
This hour, we look at how the future of higher education will impact the state’s economy, workforce, and the country’s ability to compete on a global level.
GUESTS:
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Investigative reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Brian Rosenberg, Visiting Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education, author of Whatever It Is, I’m Against It
- Jon Marcus, Senior higher education reporter for The Hechinger Report and co-host of the podcast, “College Uncovered”
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According to Pew Research Center, our “trust in government” has eroded over the last sixty years.
While there have been “modest” gains in support, factors like age, race, employment status, educational experience, and more impact how we view our federal institutions.
Today on the Wheelhouse, we journey through age groups, consider experiences, and offer a bit of a U.S. history lesson to shed some light on how Americans have formed their views about the government from the late 1950s to the present.
Plus, how can Gen Alpha engage with politics? How can adults help with kids’ civic development?
GUESTS:
- Mercy Quaye, Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
- Jonathan Wharton, Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
- J. Baxter Oliphant, Senior researcher, Pew Research Center
- Sally Friedman, Associate professor of political science, University at Albany
- Jean Twenge, Professor of psychology, San Diego State University
- Elena Moore, Reporter, Washington desk, NPR
- Deborah Rivas-Drake, Ph.D., Professor of Education and Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
- Christia Spears Brown, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Professor of Developmental, Social, and Health Psychology, University of Kentucky
- Rikesha L. Fry Brown, Ph.D., co-founder and Executive Director of the African American Honors Collective and Adjunct Professor, Clark Atlanta University
- Melissa Santos. Ph.D., Division Head, Pediatric Psychology, Connecticut Children’s
This show was edited together to feature thoughts and perspectives from people of various backgrounds. You will hear past interviews, including discussions from the April 10, 2024, “How to Talk to Kids about the 2024 Presidential Election” and the August 7, 2024, “Politics Across the Generations”.
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Some federal officials don’t want the “X” gender option printed on passports. The “T” – and other letters – were removed from websites with content addressing the LGBTQ+ community.
Since Day 1, the Trump administration has chipped away at the rights of Transgender Americans.
Today on the Wheelhouse, we examine the policies aimed towards erasure.
Plus, gender-affirming care. How anti-trans legislation impacts transgender and cisgender healthcare.
GUESTS:
- Orion Rummler, LGBTQ+ reporter, The 19th
- Evan Urquhart, Journalist and founder of Assigned Media
- Ricardo Martinez, Executive Director, GLAD Law
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Natural gas and nuclear energy may not be the cleanest and greenest methods of power generation.
Yet with energy bills being so high for Connecticut residents and an administration in Washington that’s prioritizing fossil fuel production, state officials may have to punt on their net zero-carbon goals in order to produce more juice.
Today on the Wheelhouse, the pursuit of climate resiliency in a moment when green energy investment isn’t a top priority.
Plus, it’s time to bring the bird feeders and lock up the coconut cupcakes! We’ll have the latest on policy initiatives meant to protect humans in Connecticut from bears.
GUESTS:
- Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, Connecticut Public
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Investigative reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Charles Venator-Santiago, Associate professor in the departments of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
- John Moritz, Energy and environment reporter, CT Mirror
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Outside the State Capitol, Connecticut residents recently protested against the federal government.“Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Trump and Musk have got to go,” they shouted as they huddled in the rain.
There were 2,085 protests like this in the U.S. in February alone, according to the Guardian.
Today on the Wheelhouse, why Americans are speaking out against the Trump administration – and the potential consequences of resistance.
GUESTS:
- Archon Fung, Professor of citizenship and self-government, Harvard University
- Liz Kurantowicz, Republican analyst and owner, The Drury Group
- Bilal Sekou, Associate professor of political science, University of Hartford
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Public health officials are sounding the alarm.
In Connecticut, they say the Trump administration is cuttinge $150 million in federal grants allocated to the state –for disease surveillance, childhood immunizations, and more.
Those funds were allocated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But COVID is still with us. And there’s also cases of bird flu, measles, and other infections in the U.S.
This week on the Wheelhouse, what the federal government’s cuts mean for public health here in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, Connecticut Public
- Sujata Srinivasan, Senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
- Julie Rovner, Chief Washington correspondent, KFF Health News
- Amy Maxmen, National public health correspondent, KFF Health News
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There’s a lot at stake as the clock ticks on Trump’s tax program. The 2017 Trump tax cuts expire at the end of this year.
Top Republicans are pushing to extend the program.
But, experts from the liberal think tank The Center for American Progress, meanwhile, say the tax cuts actually hurt the economy over the long haul. This week on the Wheelhouse, why 2025 is a watershed year for American tax policy.
Also, as tax day approaches, we’ll discuss the state of the IRS and whether workforce cuts there could impact the delivery of your refund check.
GUESTS:
- Nancy Qian, Professor of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences, Northwestern University
- Dan Haar, Senior editor and columnist, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Ebong Udoma, Senior reporter, WSHU
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The state budget may be headed for a “world of pain.” That’s according to our friends at the Connecticut Mirror.
State lawmakers are tasked with funding their priorities while anticipating cuts coming from the federal government.
Medicaid costs are one line item the state may have to adjust on the fly.
Today on the Wheelhouse, how the state could step in to support vulnerable communities if the federal government pulls their support for Medicaid.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Vincent Candelora, State House Republican leader, North Branford
- Sean Scanlon, Comptroller, State of Connecticut
- Katy Golvala, Health reporter, CT Mirror
- Keith Phaneuf, State budget reporter, CT Mirror
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There was a 13% increase in Connecticut’s unhoused population from 2023 to 2024. That’s according to an annual report by the state.
Connecticut is seeing decreases in housing availability, the price of rent skyrocketing, and more.
Today on the Wheelhouse, proposals state lawmakers are considering to make more affordable housing a reality in Connecticut.
Plus, Congressman John Larson has gone viral. Larson stops by the Wheelhouse to discuss his impassioned demand for transparency from DOGE leader Elon Musk over the future of Social Security.
GUESTS:
- Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), Connecticut’s first congressional district
- Alex Putterman, Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Abby Brone, Housing reporter, Connecticut Public
- Ginny Monk, Children's issues and housing reporter, Connecticut Mirror
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Thousands of U.S. Government employees could be out of a job, according to a “best guess” from a Wells Fargo economist.
This has big-time ramifications for Connecticut…and the roughly 19,000 federal workers living here.
Many recently laid off people are speaking out, including a Marine Corps veteran from Vernon named Gabriel D’Alatri.
This hour, how federal workers who’ve been let go are processing massive job cuts as government agencies are dismantled.
GUESTS:
- Lisa Hagen, Federal policy reporter, CT Mirror and CT Public
- Eddy Martinez, General assignment reporter, Connecticut Public
- Mark Zaretsky, Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Jory Heckman, Reporter, Federal News Network
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Even as state officials work to reform criminal justice in Connecticut, complaints roll in regarding the treatment of incarcerated individuals. Also, many people are still awaiting automatic erasure of their criminal convictions. What’s the hold up? Finally, data that could shed light on racial disparities in prosecution rates, isn’t being collected, according to Hearst Connecticut Media.
This hour, what’s Connecticut’s level of commitment to reforming its criminal justice system? What could lawmakers do in 2025 to fix these issues?
Plus, an update on the state’s budget in the midst of this year’s legislative session.
GUESTS:
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, Investigative reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief, CT Mirror
- Mercy Quaye, Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
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In May 1969, Black Panther Alex Rackley was murdered by fellow revolutionaries in Connecticut.
Rackley’s murder eventually led to what some call “one of the most significant political trials of the century.” In 1970, the New Haven Black Panther trials became the focus of national attention — and what happened then reverberates loudly into the present.
This hour, we’ll unpack everything from how the federal government targeted Black Panther Party leaders to the legacy of the trials in the Elm City.
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President Donald Trump froze all federal grant spending a few weeks back. The freeze has since been rescinded. But it’s still having a real impact, including here in Connecticut.
This hour, we’ll hear how local nonprofits are providing services amid the uncertainty.
And later, Governor Ned Lamont wants to bring free preschool to many families across the state.
But how many children and their families will reap the benefits? Is it truly “universal”?
GUESTS:
- Alex Putterman, Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- David Fahrenthold, Investigative reporter, The New York Times
- Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, Connecticut Public
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Connecticut residents pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country. The governor of Connecticut wants local lawmakers to do something about it.
He’s said “cosmetic changes”, like shifting payments from energy customers to taxpayers, won’t solve the problem of using more electricity than the state can muster.
Today on the Wheelhouse, we’ll check in with reporters on what lawmakers are doing this year to make energy consumers whole.
Plus, how are local lawmakers preparing for a future that may come with less federal dollars to support local education? We’ll analyze another funding priority of Gov. Ned Lamont in this year’s legislative session: finding more dollars in support of students with disabilities.
GUESTS:
- John Moritz, Energy and environment reporter, CT Mirror
- Ebong Udoma, Senior political reporter, WSHU
- Erik Katovich, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, University of Connecticut
- Jessika Harkay, Education reporter, CT Mirror
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ICE agents are popping up in local communities like East Hartford and Willimantic as the Trump administration calls on federal law enforcement to amp up arrests and detentions.
New federal Department of Homeland Security Secretary says Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump are “making our streets safe.”
At the same time, Trump ordered the release of people convicted of seditious conspiracy following their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol breach.
This week on the Wheelhouse, we analyze criminal justice policy in the early days of the new Trump administration and how the people of Connecticut will be impacted by these executive actions.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Brown: Investigative Reporter from CT Mirror
- Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford
- Beatriz Aldana Marquez: Assistant Professor of Sociology and Core Faculty Member of the El Instituto
- Charles Venator-Santiago: Associate professor in the departments of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
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This hour, we examine the intersection of big tech and politics.
AI is growing rapidly and lawmakers in Connecticut and beyond are attempting to regulate the harmful impacts of artificial intelligence without stymieing innovation.
Meanwhile, billionaire CEOs were front and center at the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Tesla Motors CEO and X executive chairman, Elon Musk, even has a role in President Trump’s administration. Will this relationship impact the government’s ability to keep big tech’s power in check?
GUESTS:
- Sigal Samuel: Senior reporter and host of the Future Perfectpodcast, Vox
- Meredith Broussard: Data journalist and associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, New York University
- Kathryn Hulick: Science journalist, Science News Explores
- Brian Zahn: Reporter, New Haven Register
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Earlier in January, prior to the inauguration of President Donald Trump, listeners were invited to a taping of The Wheelhouse in Hartford. A shortened version of the event aired on Connecticut Public Radio on January 22. This bonus from the live event features two surprise guests. You'll hear conversations with 2025's Connecticut Teacher of the Year, Julia Miller, and personal injury attorney Brooke Goff, whom you might recognize from her many billboards on Interstate 84
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Donald Trump is going back to the White House at the same time Connecticut lawmakers return to work at the State Capitol. Following a tense election cycle, what’s in store for America – and Connecticut – in 2025?
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Joe Biden’s final day in office is January 20.
In the weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election to Donald Trump, President Biden has focused on criminal justice, foreign policy, and clean energy.
This hour, we look at what’s left for Biden to tackle on his way out of the White House, and what legacy he leaves behind.
GUESTS:
- Brakkton Booker: National political correspondent, Politico
- Lisa Hagen: Federal policy reporter, CT Mirror and CT Public
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Connecticut’s 2025 legislative session is underway.
Over the next six months, lawmakers will convene to address some of the state’s most pressing issues. This hour, we’ll explore the top priorities for this session, including affordable housing, funding for public education and more.
We’ll walk through the bills you should be following and how they may impact you and your pocketbook.
GUESTS:
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
- Bilal Sekou, Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford
- Ebong Udoma, Senior Reporter, WSHU
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When stressful conversations about politics are “on the table” this holiday season, how can we stay engaged with family members who have totally different views from our own? This week on The Wheelhouse, Professor Irshad Manji talks with us about how people can apply her "Five Skills of Moral Courage" to build trust and respect with people we want to have positive relationships with, regardless of politics.
Irshad Manji is the founder of Moral Courage College and author of three books: Allah, Liberty and Loveand The Trouble with Islam Today, and her latest book is Don’t Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times.
This episode originally aired on November 27, 2024.
GUEST:
Irshad Manji: Professor and founder of Moral Courage College and author of Don’t Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times.
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Health insurance is expensive. The average American spent $13,493 per person in 2022, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. And according to national health policy researcher KFF, most insured Americans have experienced a problem using their insurance.
That may explain the complete lack of empathy some people showed online in reaction to the targeted killing of Brian Thompson, CEO of America’s largest private health insurer, UnitedHealthcare.
Lawmakers sprouted into action when Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield considered capping their coverage of anesthesia services for patients during surgeries.
Today on a special Wheelhouse, we’re examining the intersection of politics and the healthcare insurance industry. Plus, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is in-studio to address the insurance issue, as well as concerns related to reproductive rights and the funding of public education in advance of January’s convening of the 2025 legislative session in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Ned Lamont: Governor, State of Connecticut
- Alex Putterman: Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Katy Golvala: Health reporter, CT Mirror
- Lisa Hagen: Federal policy reporter, CT Public and CT Mirror
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In the past few years, lawmakers in Connecticut have gotten closer to meaningful legislation that would lower a vehicle’s carbon footprint. They’ve also introduced a pilot program targeting food scraps in an effort to reduce waste.
Their job may get harder.
President-elect Donald Trump's record on climate change is already forcing state lawmakers to re-think local policy changes. A week after the election, Gov. Ned Lamont said he’s no longer pursuing a mandate that would’ve phased out sales of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035.
Today on the Wheelhouse, how initiatives seeking to curb climate change will be impacted by the 2024 election.
GUESTS:
- Michayla Savitt: State government reporter, Connecticut Public
- Shannon Osaka: Climate zeitgeist reporter, The Washington Post
- Miriam Wasser: Senior climate and environment reporter, WBUR
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Prior to Election Day, advocates were worried about a national abortion ban and further local restrictions on reproductive care. And then, Donald Trump was elected president, with Republicans alongside him taking over the U.S. Congress.
Reporters covering reproductive rights are analyzing what comes next under Trump, someone who’s taken credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Today on the Wheelhouse, what happens when the federal government begins to prioritize certain state laws over a patient’s right to receive medical care?
We’ll also examine local efforts to combat potential restrictions on reproductive care, including the launching of a 24/7 service called the Connecticut Abortion Legal Hotline.
GUESTS:
- William Tong (D): Attorney General, State of Connecticut
- Shefali Luthra: Reproductive health reporter, The 19th
- Rachel Rebouché: Professor of Law, Temple University
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When stressful conversations about politics are “on the table” this holiday season, how can we stay engaged with family members who have totally different views from our own? This week on The Wheelhouse, Professor Irshad Manji talks with us about how people can apply her "Five Skills of Moral Courage" to build trust and respect with people we want to have positive relationships with, regardless of politics.
Irshad Manji is the founder of Moral Courage College and author of three books: Allah, Liberty and Loveand The Trouble with Islam Today, and her latest book is Don’t Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times.
GUEST:Irshad Manji: Professor and founder of Moral Courage College and author of Don’t Label Me: An Incredible Conversation for Divided Times.
*This episode was produced by Frankie Graziano, Chloe Wynne and Robyn Doyon-Aitken
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.*
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Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election marked a better showing for the former president than the last time he ran back in 2020.
So far in Connecticut–even though he didn’t capture the state’s seven electoral votes–Trump has collected 21,253 more votes than he did four years ago. That’s according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s office.
Today on the Wheelhouse, a panel of experts analyze Trump’s gains in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Jim Haddadin: Investigative editor, Connecticut Public’s The Accountability Project
- Maysoon Khan:Investigative reporter, Connecticut Public’s The Accountability Project
- Ebong Udoma: Senior reporter, WSHU
- John Moritz: State reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
- Alex Putterman: Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media
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Last year, 46,728 people were killed in firearm deaths. For parents and families grieving children lost to the Sandy Hook School shooting, there’s no escaping the trauma associated with that loss, and the rhetoric surrounding gun violence.
Today on the Wheelhouse, how the national gun policy discourse affects survivors of gun violence.
It’s a timely conversation, given the recent election of Donald Trump as president. Recently on The Wheelhouse, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questioned whether Trump could put aside his relationship with the NRA to enact meaningful legislation protecting Americans from gun violence.
Also featured in the conversation will be Connecticut Public senior health reporter Sujata Srinivasan, who’s covering how gun violence is a public health epidemic.
GUESTS:
- Francine Wheeler: Founder, Ben’s Lighthouse
- Nelba Marquez-Greene: Activist in residence, Yale School of Public Health
- Sujata Srinivasan:Senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
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The polls have closed and votes are still being counted.
As the 2024 elections come and go, a powerhouse panel of experts will be there for Connecticut residents to take stock in what’s left to determine our political future.
Today on the Wheelhouse, analysis of what we know so far. Plus, hear from some winners in races that were already decided.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and a co-founder, CT Mirror
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
- Bilal Sekou:Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford
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You voted — and now it’s time to find out.
Throughout 2024, the Wheelhouse team has asked Connecticut residents about the issues, interviewed candidates for Congress, unpacked the assassination attempts on Donald Trump, and watched as Democrats coalesced around Vice President Kamala Harris.
Now, it’s time to clock in on election night…and find out where state residents really stand.
Tonight, The Wheelhouse will dive into what we know and what comes next as the polls close.
GUESTS:
- Leah Wright Rigueur: Author and SNF Agora Institute associate professor of history, Johns Hopkins University
- Mercy Quaye:Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
- Charles Venator-Santiago: Associate professor of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
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In one week, voters across America will go to the polls.
But before they do, voters in Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district will get to hear from two candidates running for a congressional seat.
This hour, we talk with Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and challenger Mike France, a Republican. And after that, our panel of guests share their insights on what the candidates had to say.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Joe Courtney , (D-Conn.)
- Mike France, Candidate for Connecticut’s 2nd congressional district
- Charles Venator Santiago, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
- Paul Choiniere, Retired editorial page editor, The Day
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The race for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district is underway. This hour, we ask candidates Jim Himes (D-Conn.)–and two challengers, Republican Michael Goldstein and Independent Benjamin Wesley–where they stand on the issues.
For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse will feature a series of candidate interviews. We’ll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Jim Himes , (D-Conn.)
- Michael Goldstein, Candidate for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district
- Benjamin Wesley, Candidate for Connecticut’s 4th congressional district
- Andy Blye, Reporter, Greenwich Time
- Ebong Udoma, Senior political reporter, WSHU
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This hour, we talk with the candidates for Connecticut’s fifth congressional district: Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and challenger George Logan. And later, our panel of guests share their insights on what the candidates had to say.
GUESTS:
- Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, (D-Conn.)
- George Logan, Republican candidate for Connecticut’s 5th congressional district
- Livi Stanford, Reporter for Republican-American
- Lisa Hagen, Federal policy reporter for CT Mirror and CT Public
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Every four years, we’re reminded of the power of the Electoral College. But according to a recent poll by Pew Research Center, more than 6 out of 10 Americans would prefer to see the winner of the presidential election be the person who wins the most votes nationally.
This hour, we take a granular look at the Electoral College. We’ll ask questions like why do we have it? And why is it so difficult to get rid of?
Plus, in Connecticut, no-excuse absentee voting is on the ballot. We’ll unpack what this means for voters across the state.
GUESTS:
- Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University. He hosts the podcast “Amarica’s Constitution” and wrote the book “The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840”
- Geoffrey Skelley, Senior Elections Analyst at FiveThirtyEight
- John Moritz, State Reporter, CT Insider/Hearst Connecticut Media
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The race for Connecticut’s third congressional district is underway. This hour, we ask candidates Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and challenger, Michael Massey, a Republican, where they stand on the issues.
For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse will feature a series of candidate interviews. We’ll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.
GUESTS:
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro, (D-Conn.)
- Michael Massey, Candidate for Connecticut’s 3rd congressional district
- Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Hartford
- Mercy Quaye:Founder and President at The Narrative Project; Columnist for CT Mirror and Editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
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We’re kicking off a series of candidate interviews today on The Wheelhouse.
For the next few weeks, we'll be talking with Republicans and Democrats, incumbents and challengers, in Connecticut's congressional districts. Each candidate will have an equal amount of time to talk one-on-one with host Frankie Graziano, followed by some analysis from our guest panelists.
This hour, we ask candidates for Connecticut’s 1st congressional district where they stand on the issues: Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) and challenger, Republican Jim Griffin.
GUESTS:
- Rep. John Larson, (D-Conn.)
- Jim Griffin, seeking election for Connecticut’s 1st congressional district
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror
- Susan Raff, Chief political reporter, WFSB Eyewitness News Ch. 3
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The 2024 U.S. Presidential Debate between vice president Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump highlighted how immigration is being sensationalized to score votes.
Trump says that “dangerous” migrants are contributing to an overall spike in crime in the United States. But, the FBI reports that violent crime has decreased. He also says that 21 million people have recently entered the country illegally, despite federal law enforcement reporting a smaller number.
Today on the Wheelhouse, the use of immigration misinformation on the campaign trail.
Also, an increase in public benefits charges has many Connecticut residents complaining about their electric bills. We’ll discuss what state politicians are saying about the rate increases.
GUESTS:
- Charles Venator-Santiago, Associate professor of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
- Maria Sacchetti, reporter covering immigrant communities, The Washington Post
- Dan Haar, Senior editor and columnist, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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In advance of the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, there were negotiations over live microphones and arguments over who could attend. There was even a debate over what network it should be put on.
Historically, debates offer an opportunity for political candidates to provide substantive details about their platforms. But in 2024, more attention is paid to spectacle.
Now that the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is over, is it time to focus on the importance of debates and the substance intended to be offered to the American people?
Today on The Wheelhouse, the evolution of public political discourse.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Bilal Sekou, Associate professor of politics and government, University of Hartford
- Jonathan Wharton, Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
- Julian E. Zelizer, Professor of history and public affairs, Princeton University
- Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Associate professor of history, Purdue University
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Public safety and the sanctity of the ballot are top of mind for election officials during the lead up to November.
This hour, we take a look at how some officials are preparing during an especially fraught election year.
GUESTS:
- Rachael Cobb, Associate Professor of Political Science & Legal Studies, Suffolk University
- Tina Barton, Senior Elections Expert, The Elections Group
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During a recent speech given by former President Donald Trump, he promised that, if elected, he would cut federal funding for any schools with a vaccine or mask mandate.
His promises highlight the continued politicization of CDC-recommended public health best-practices.
This hour, we look at anti-vaccine rhetoric and how it impacts communities in Connecticut and beyond.
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After a whirlwind few weeks, Democrats are gathering in Chicago to formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate.
This week on The Wheelhouse, Colin McEnroe guest-hosts a special check-in on how the Democratic National Convention is going.
GUESTS:
- Dan Haar, columnist and senior editor, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
- Leah Wright Rigueur, Associate Professor of History, John Hopkins University
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol Bureau Chief and co-founder of CT Mirror
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We asked our listeners what issues are on their minds, and they answered the call! The week on The Wheelhouse, what exactly is Project 2025? And why is Donald Trump distancing himself from it?
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Today on The Wheelhouse, we’re exploring politics and generational theory. That’s the belief that every generation has a unique set of shared beliefs.
As voters across all age groups get ready to head to the polls in November, what politicians and historical events have shaped the way they will cast their votes?
Pictured above are (L-R, top row) Cedar Greve, Randy Weis, Antic Cone, Preston Siroka, and Lisa Sorge. (L-R, bottom row) Shaniya Cone, Samuel Zwick-Lavinsky, Liliana Restrepo, Luanne Sforza, and Valerie Fallon.
GUESTS:
- Sally Friedman, Associate professor of political science, University at Albany
- Jean Twenge, Professor of psychology, San Diego State University
- Elena Moore, Reporter, Washington desk, NPR
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Federal COVID relief dollars have boosted education in recent years. But now, money allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act is going away. What will state governments do now for students and teachers?
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This weekend, Joe Biden announced he’s dropping out of the presidential race. We’ll talk about what this means for November on a special edition of The Wheelhouse.
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As the country witnesses yet another act of political violence, its citizens wonder about the impact words and weapons have on our lives. On the next Wheelhouse, we try to make sense of an assassination attempt in 2024.
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This week on The Wheelhouse, lawmakers are taking “reasonable measures” to protect children online through the “Kids Online Safety Act.” But does this act encroach on free speech? And is a TikTok ban really in our future?
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Election coverage in 2024 has portrayed individual members of latino communities as a collective bloc. As coverage of polling sacrifices nuance over numbers, an opportunity is missed to delve into issues that a large percentage of Americans care about.
Polls are used in the media, for example, to show that President Joe Biden is behind in his campaign–and that Latinos are breaking for former president Donald Trump. But, a report from the Brookings Institute, shows that Latinos are underrepresented in most polls. And that, “national election polls are not designed for sub-group analysis.”
Today on The Wheelhouse, honing in on people and policy, and not on who prospective voters from the Hispanic Latino diaspora are going to vote for.
This episode continues Connecticut Public and The Wheelhouse's election coverage, connecting people to policy. We’ve already tackled reproductive rights, how to talk to your kids about politics, and the role of the media in presidential elections.
Help us cover local and national elections by filling out this survey online.
GUESTS:
- Charles Venator-Santiago: Associate professor of political science and El Instituto, University of Connecticut
- Christian Paz: senior politics reporter, Vox
- Maricarmen Cajahuaringa: Latino communities reporter, Connecticut Public
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Reproductive rights aren’t just at stake in states like Louisiana and Texas. They’re targeted—even in a so-called safe harbor Connecticut–by some lawmakers.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what might the landscape surrounding reproductive care look like after November’s elections?
And looking back, we’ll examine Connecticut’s complicated history with reproductive rights.
GUESTS:
- Sonali Chakravarti: Professor of government, Wesleyan University
- Shefali Luthra: Health reporter, The 19th
- Amanda Becker: Washington correspondent, The 19th
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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More and more states are restricting access to gender-affirming care. It’s an issue that some politicians are centering in their political campaigns.
But a 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll from 2023 found that only 17 percent of Americans believe politicians should focus on restrictions to gender-affirming care.
So, today on the Wheelhouse, we’ll wade through misinformation to examine anti-trans rhetoric.
GUESTS:
- Joanna Wuest, Assistant professor of politics, Mount Holyoke College
- TJ Billard, Assistant professor, Northwestern University School of Communication
- Katelyn Burns, Columnist, MSNBC
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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The way we view cannabis has changed, particularly since states began decriminalizing its use and allowing residents to buy it.
Most Americans now live in a state where cannabis for recreational use is legal. As jurisdictions embrace the cannabis industry, communities are addressing people disproportionately impacted by the “war on drugs” and cracking down on the distribution of illicit cannabis.
Today on The Wheelhouse, how is the regulation of cannabis for recreational use going?
Also on this episode, a check-in with radio host Jeremy Hobson ahead of his appearance in Waterbury, Connecticut on June 3. His live call-in show “The Middle” is coming to the Palace Theater. We’ll ask Hobson what the geographical–and philosophical–middle of America thinks about widespread legalization of cannabis.
GUESTS:
- Natalie Fertig, Federal Cannabis Policy Reporter, POLITICO
- Jordan Nathaniel Fenster, Senior enterprise reporter, CT Insider
- Jeremy Hobson, Host, “The Middle”
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Connecticut’s aging population is growing. Lawmakers are looking for solutions as complaints from elder care residents and advocates increase in the state. On the next Wheelhouse, how is the state addressing this problem?
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The Connecticut General Assembly has adjourned for the year.
In an election year – and an era of fiscal discipline – there was only so much that was going to be done during a short legislative session to address climate change, funding shortfalls in education and shortages in affordable housing and child care. Today on The Wheelhouse, a look back at Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session and a look ahead at how state lawmakers will handle unfinished business.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas, Capitol bureau chief and co-founder, CT Mirror
- Susan Raff, Chief capitol reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
- Michayla Savitt, State government reporter, Connecticut Public
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In April, a group of owners of National Hockey League teams approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah.
The move was a disappointment for Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. Lamont had pitched the idea of the Coyotes coming to Hartford to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman earlier this year.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what would it take for Hartford to get the NHL – and the Whalers – back?
And later, May marks 25 years since a partnership between Connecticut and the NFL’s Patriots fell apart. We’ll revisit the May 1, 1999 dissolution of the Connecticut NFL project.
GUESTS:
- Colin McEnroe, host of Connecticut Public’s The Colin McEnroe Show
- Andrew Zimbalist, professor of Economics, Smith College
- Dan Haar, columnist and senior editor, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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Student-led protests of the Israel-Hamas War are growing as the fighting continues. Students camp out and call on their educational institutions to divest from companies they say support the killing of civilians – while the world reacts.
This hour, we look at how the protests in support of civilians in Gaza – and the war in general – are being talked about and how that rhetoric affects the safety of Palestinian and Jewish people.
GUESTS:
- Sharon Otterman: Reporter covering education, health, other issues in New York City, New York Times
- Eddy Martinez: Breaking News Reporter, CT Public
- Jason Stanley: Professor of Philosophy, Yale University
- Gregg Gonsalves: Associate Professor at Yale School of Public Health and Associate Professor at Yale Law School
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Why does political dysfunction happen? What are the systems that enable it? A new four-part podcast from Connecticut Public looks for answers in Bridgeport, where corruption charges, allegations of absentee ballot misconduct, and machine politics have left some residents wondering if their vote even matters.
Today on The Wheelhouse, catch the first episode of In Absentia. The podcast offers listeners a deep dive into the history of political dysfunction in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Plus, we’ll hear from Connecticut Public’s Lisa Hagen about Connecticut's federal delegation ahead of general elections in November.
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Connecticut’s affordable housing crisis has taken center stage during the state’s 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions.
This hour, are meaningful reforms on the horizon for state residents? And how have zoning ordinances, a lack of transit-oriented development, and “opt-in” programs contributed to the crisis at hand?
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas: Investigative reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
- Anika Singh Lemar: Clinical Professor of Law, Yale Law School
- Ginny Monk: Children’s issues and housing reporter, Connecticut Mirror
- Abigail Brone: Housing reporter, Connecticut Public
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Presidential election years are an emotional rollercoaster. And if you’ve been feeling anxious about the state of the country, there’s a good chance the children in your life have picked up on that. This hour, how should we talk to kids about the election?
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Connecticut’s 2024 presidential preference primary represented several things for state residents.
It was a shot at relevancy, a chance to demonstrate against Democrats, and an inaugural crack at early in-person voting.
This hour, we explore how Tuesday’s presidential nominating contest in the Nutmeg State shook out.
- Stephanie Thomas: Secretary of the State of Connecticut
- Susan Raff: Chief political reporter, WFSB News Ch. 3
- Mark Pazniokas: Capitol bureau chief, CT Mirror
- Dr. Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College associate professor of politics and government, University of Hartford
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Early polls suggest that voters want more options than just Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election. This hour, we look beyond the two-party system and ask what a non-Democrat or Republican candidate could mean for the race to the White House.
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Threats against women and threats against democracy are inextricably linked, according to experts who study and track gendered political violence.
While threats to American democracy have manifested in events like the January 6 Capitol Riot, threats against women in politics have come in the form of harmful rhetoric and even targeted attacks.
This hour, we explore how women are faring in American politics.
- Kellie Carter Jackson: Chair of the Africana Studies department, Wellesley College
- Sarah Sobieraj: Professor and Chair of Sociology, Tufts University
- Shefali Luthra: Health Reporter, The 19th
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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In the upcoming presidential election, democracy hangs in the balance. So, newsrooms across the country should hold up a mirror and ask: is our reporting shaping the race to the White House?
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We’ve heard buzz about the Oscars for months – the drama, the snubs, the countless interviews. Pretty soon we’ll finally get to watch it all unfold.
But before we do, join us this hour as we explore how today’s most popular TV shows and movies reflect our political landscape.
We’ll dive into how the horror genre has drawn inspiration from the world around us and how comedians are wrestling with ways to bring levity to real-life horrors.
- Jeffrey Dudas: Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut
- Eric Deggans: TV critic, NPR
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode
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Political tension is growing in America and beyond. And with the 2024 United States presidential election on the horizon, there’s concern that increased political tension will lead to violence.
A recent national survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) reported that nearly a quarter of Americans support political violence – 23%. That’s an increase from 15% in 2021.
This hour, we look at how the threat of violence impacts domestic and foreign politics.
- Katie Reisner: Senior Counsel for States United Democracy Center
- Archon Fung: Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School
- Kevin Boyle: William Smith Mason Professor of American History, Northwestern University
- Chris Doyle: American History teacher at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut and Ph.D. in History
- Bria Lloyd: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Public
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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A recent poll suggests that fewer Black Americans will vote for President Joe Biden this time around. On the next Wheelhouse, we dig deeper than the numbers – and look at why issues like global conflicts are upending the way we think about how people vote.
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2024 is shaping up to be an unprecedented year. From record levels of disinformation to a presidential candidate spending more time in court than on the campaign trail, democracy hangs in the balance.
This hour, we’re holding up a mirror and asking: how should the press cover the upcoming presidential election.
- Jaden Edison: Justice Reporter, The Connecticut Mirror
- David Folkenflik:Media Correspondent, NPR News
- Errin Haines: Editor-at-large, The 19th.
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session begins Wednesday.
For the next three months, lawmakers will work to address some of the state’s most pressing issues. This hour, we’ll explore those issues, which include zero-emission vehicles, a lack of affordable housing, and traffic stop reform.
And did you know that you have a stake in the outcome of the Super Bowl this year? Should the betting favorite win, sports betting operators in Connecticut would have to pay out a lot of bets. On this week’s episode, we’ll try and identify this year’s Super Bowl betting favorite.
- Susan Raff: Chief Political Reporter, WFSB
- Mark Pazniokas:Capitol bureau chief, CT Mirror
- Jaden Edison: Justice Reporter, The Connecticut Mirror
- Jacqueline Rabe Thomas: Investigative Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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A federal court has revived a lawsuit over a Connecticut policy that allows transgender girls to compete on girls’ sports teams. Meanwhile, the town of Enfield, Connecticut passed a new policy banning the Pride flag from being flown on town property.
This week on The Wheelhouse, we explore how recent policy changes in Connecticut mirror those in the rest of the nation, and how towns are responding to a growing number of restrictions.
GUESTS:
- Orion Rummler: LGBTQ+ Reporter, The 19th
- Katie Barnes: Writer/Reporter, ESPN.com
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Governor Ned Lamont says child care is a top priority for Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session. He tasked a panel of experts with proposing a plan to overhaul what many consider to be a broken system. In a few weeks, Lamont will present his proposal for the Blue Ribbon Panel’s first year of a five year plan to the Connecticut General Assembly.
Families and child care providers are hoping to see major changes, like higher wages for child care providers and an increase in parent subsidies. But some wonder if the proposed plan will go far enough.
This hour, we’ll explore the reforms needed to fix an industry in crisis and what the future holds if changes aren’t made.
Plus, Bridgeport’s Democratic primary election results were overturned last Fall due to allegations of fraud. After yesterday’s court-ordered re-vote, do we finally have a winner?
GUESTS:
- Bria Lloyd: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Public
- Erica Phillips: Economic Development Reporter, Connecticut Mirror
- Melissa Boteach: Vice President for Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning, National Women’s Law Center
- Karen List: developer and Project Director of the Neag PK3 Leadership Program, UConn
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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The 2024 presidential election is in full swing. Iowa held its Republican Caucus this week, and next week, New Hampshire will hold Republican and Democratic primaries.
These states traditionally go first, but because at least 90 percent of the people living in Iowa and New Hampshire are white, that may change. The Democratic National Committee has proposed a reordering of the calendar, tapping South Carolina to send their voters to the polls first.
This hour, we’ll unpack how meaningful a first-in-the-nation primary truly is.
Plus, Trump’s ability to stay on the ballot in Colorado and Maine hangs in the balance. Will the Supreme Court rule in Trump’s favor? And what would that mean for democracy?
GUESTS:
- Maya King: Politics Reporter, New York Times
- Dan Barrick: News Director, New Hampshire Public Radio
- Bruce Ackerman: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale Law School and Yale University and the author of the book Revolutionary Constitutions
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Today, The Wheelhouse is passing the mic to another Connecticut Public talk show, Disrupted.
This hour, we learn about the State Elections Enforcement Commission which oversees voter fraud allegations and campaign finance. We'll also examine America's youngest voters, Generation Z. Ruby Belle Booth will provide insight on Gen Z's voting impact followed by a Gen Z roundtable.
Looking to dive deeper in today's discussion? Here are some resource links from the show.
- Register to vote
- Check your registration status and find your polling place
- Absentee ballot request
- Your Town Clerk and election officials
- Municipal town ballots
- State Elections Enforcement Commission - eCRIS (Campaign Reporting Information System)
GUESTS:
- Joshua Foley: Senior Attorney and Spokesman, State Elections Enforcement Commission
- Ruby Belle Booth: Elections Coordinator, Tisch College Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement on the campus of Tufts University
- Samuel Weinmann: University of New Haven Senior majoring in International Affairs. Executive Editor of Horseshoe Magazine
- Cristian Corza: Graduate, UConn Hartford. Campaign manager to Hartford Mayoral candidate Arunan Arulampalam
- Yesenia Rodriguez: Graduate, Claremont McKenna College. Works for a non-profit back in her hometown of Philadelphia
Special thanks to former interns Lateshia Peters and Joey Morgan for hosting the Gen Z roundtable.
This episode originally aired on Disrupted on November 1, 2023.
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In 2021, Connecticut passed a law mandating school districts to have curricula focused on quote "the science of reading." That refers to research-backed approaches to literacy like phonics.
Initially, all school districts had until July 1, 2023 to implement an approved “science of reading” program. That deadline is now July 1, 2025. But not all school districts are happy about this.
So, why is “the science of reading” facing so much pushback? This hour, we’ll break down the past and present of the so-called “reading wars” in Connecticut and beyond.
GUESTS:
- Emily Hanford: Senior producer and correspondent at American Public Media; host of the award-winning podcast Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong
- Louise Spear-Swerling: Professor emerita in the department of special education at Southern Connecticut State University
- Dr. Margie Gillis: Founder and president of Connecticut-based nonprofit, Literacy How
This episode originally aired on July 19, 2023.
This episode originally aired on July 19, 2023.
This episode originally aired on July 19, 2023.
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Connecticut has hundreds of miles of shoreline, extending from Greenwich in the west to Stonington in the east.
But many of these coastal communities have found ways to exclude certain people. In fact, there's a long history of segregation on our shores, dating back decades. This hour, we’ll unpack past and present beach access in Connecticut.
Plus, we’ll look at who does — and does not — get access to quality public spaces like parks.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Kahrl: Professor of history and African American Studies at the University of Virginia and author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline
- Dr. KangJae Lee: Assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, North Carolina State University
Hear more from Andrew Kahrl in this episode of Disrupted.
This episode originally aired on July 5, 2023.
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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From the Capitol to the campaign trail: The year in politics with a powerhouse panel and a special guest.
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During times of war, language can be a powerful tool. Political leaders can wield it to change hearts and minds, but also to justify the use of violence.
Right now, political rhetoric is everywhere as the war between Israel and Palestine continues to unfold. So how does what we hear from politicians inform how we think about conflict?
Today, we’ll examine the role of rhetoric in our politics — and how it can contribute to violence at home and abroad.
GUESTS:
- Paul Achter: Associate professor of rhetoric, University of Richmond
- Ned O'Gorman: Professor of communication, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
- Jason Stanley:Professor of philosophy, Yale University; co-author of The Politics of Language
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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There are some major players in American politics. But one we don’t talk about enough is Taylor Swift.
In September, Swift urged her fans on Instagram to register to vote. Vote.org reported a surge of 35,000 registrations after her post.
Not only that, but the pop singer has had a political awakening in recent years. She’s gone from largely silent on politics to being outspoken on everything from her support for LGBTQ+ rights to her endorsement of Joe Biden in 2020.
This hour, we’ll look at Swift’s political power — and the limits of it. Plus, is the MAGA movement still popular with voters? We’ll look at how Trump-style politicians are faring up and down the ballot.
GUESTS:
- Maya King: Politics Reporter, New York Times
- Amy Walter: Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, The Cook Political Report
- Jeffrey Dudas: Professor of political science at the University of Connecticut and co-host of the UConn PopCast
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Back in September, federal lawmakers came up with a temporary solution to avoid a government shutdown. But the continuing resolution they agreed upon expires in two days.
Is Congress close to a spending agreement? This hour, we get the latest on that.
Plus, Connecticut has set a goal to curb vehicle emissions to zero by 2035. But not everybody's happy about it. We'll talk about that, and also hear about the school board shakeup in Killingly.
GUESTS:
- Ginny Monk:Children's issues and housing reporter, Connecticut Mirror
- Mark Pazniokas: Capitol bureau chief, Connecticut Mirror
- Lisa Hagen: Federal policy reporter, Connecticut Public and Connecticut Mirror
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Tuesday was Election Day in Connecticut!
From Bridgeport to Hartford, some of the state's big, and small, municipalities elected their next mayor.
This hour, we tell you who won, who lost, and why it matters. Plus, a great panel of guests will dig into some of the races and tell us what they might mean for the state at-large.
GUESTS:
- Livi Stanford: Reporter, Waterbury Republican-American
- Bria Lloyd:Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Public
- Robert Storace:Reporter, Connecticut Examiner
- Kay Perkins:Reporter, Connecticut Public
- John Craven:Political Reporter, News 12 Connecticut
- Susan Raff: Chief Capitol Reporter, WFSB
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
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For the past few weeks, The Wheelhouse has been hitting the campaign trail. The show has been featuring interviews with candidates for mayor across the state. Our final stop? Bridgeport!
Bridgeport’s past two mayoral elections have been shrouded in controversy. In 2019 and in 2023, the word out of the Park City was all about absentee ballots, and whether or not the ballot count was right.
This hour, hear from the four candidates in Bridgeport's mayoral race who will get into that — and the issues that matter most to residents. Plus, hear from a reporter following this race.
GUESTS:
- Mayor Joe Ganim: Democratic nominee
- David Herz: Republican nominee
- John Gomes: Petitioning candidate
- Lamond Daniels: Petitioning candidate
- Bria Lloyd: Investigative reporter, Connecticut Public
FaithActs for Education has put together nonpartisan voter guides presented in English and Spanish for Bridgeport's upcoming mayoral election.
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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For the past few weeks, The Wheelhouse has been hitting the campaign trail. The show is featuring interviews with candidates for mayor across the state. Today, Waterbury!
Waterbury has long been known as the “Brass City.” In the early 20th century, it was a global leader in manufacturing — producing everything from brassware to watches and clocks.
In the early aughts, Waterbury was in the spotlight thanks to some dicey political scandals — involving former Governor John Rowland, Waterbury’s “wonderboy," and former Mayor Philip Giordano.
Things have looked up since, and with incumbent Mayor Neil O’Leary not seeking reelection, the race for mayor is wide open this November.
This hour, hear from three of the four candidates in Waterbury's mayoral race: Paul Pernerewski, the Democratic candidate, and Karen Jackson and Keisha Gilliams, both petitioning candidates.
The fourth candidate, Republican Dawn Maiorano, declined our request for an interview.
Plus, hear from a reporter following this race.
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For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse is hitting the campaign trail! The show will feature interviews with candidates for mayor across the state. Today, West Haven!
There are a lot of great things in West Haven, like Ed McCarthy’s Blue Devils, Savin Rock Park, and Zuppardi’s Apizza. But lately, those things have been overshadowed by turmoil at city hall – including a financial crisis and scandal involving COVID relief dollars. So what will this mean for November's open mayoral election?
This hour, hear from both candidates in West Haven's mayoral race: Democrat Dorinda Borer and Republican Barry Lee Cohen
Plus, hear from experts following this race.
GUESTS:
- Dorinda Borer: Democratic nominee for mayor
- Barry Lee Cohen: Republican nominee for mayor
- Christine Stuart: Editor, CT News Junkie
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
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For the next few weeks, The Wheelhouse is hitting the campaign trail! The show will feature interviews with candidates for mayor across the state. First up, Danbury.
Danbury was historically known for its hats and hat makers. But now you might think of the city for its diversity. According to the US Census, 30 percent of the 87,000 people that live in Danbury were born outside the country.
This hour, hear from both candidates in Danbury's mayoral race: Democrat Roberto Alves and Republican Mayor Dean Esposito.
Plus, hear from reporters and bloggers covering this race.
GUESTS:
- Roberto Alves:Democratic Candidate
- Mayor Dean Esposito: Republican Candidate
- Alfonso Robinson: Writer, MyLeftNutmeg.com
- Ebong Udoma:Senior Political Reporter, WSHU
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Book bans. Mask requirements. What’s in our history books.
These are just some of the issues that have divided school boards since the early days of the pandemic.
School boards haven’t always been political battlegrounds. But these days, things are getting pretty heated.
The non-profit news organization, ProPublica, found nearly 60 incidentsat school board meetings that led to arrests or criminal charges, since spring 2021.
This hour, we’re going big on the politics — and power — of school boards in Connecticut and across the country.
GUESTS:
- Jonathan Collins: Assistant Professor of Political Science, Public Policy, and Education, Brown University
- Nicole Carr: Reporter, ProPublica
- Adam Harris: Staff Writer, The Atlantic; Author, The State Must Provide: Why America's Colleges Have Always Been Unequal — And How To Set Them Right
- Jessika Harkay: Education Reporter, CT Mirror
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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There’s a deadline looming. Congress has to pass a spending package – or at least an emergency one – by the end of the federal fiscal year, which is this Friday.
Could a fight among Republicans in the U.S. House cause the government to shut down? How could that trickle down to Connecticut?
This hour, we look at a fractured federal government. Plus, we give you the latest on what's going on in Bridgeport. Could another election be in question over absentee ballots?
GUESTS:
- Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, The Connecticut Mirror and Connecticut Public
- Andrew Brown: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Mirror
- Susan Raff: Chief Capitol Reporter, WFSB
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Can former president Donald Trump legally become president again? According to experts on both sides of the aisle, the answer isn’t exactly clear-cut.
From Colorado to Connecticut, there are efforts right now to bar Trump from the ballot in 2024. The legal argument against his candidacy comes down to one little-known provision in the 14 Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This hour, we'll break down the constitutional case against Trump.
Plus, we’ll check in on voting equipment in Connecticut and look at efforts to give incarcerated people the right to vote.
GUESTS:
- Bruce Ackerman: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale Law School and Yale University and the author of the book Revolutionary Constitutions
- Ariel White: Associate Professor of Political Science, MIT
- Andrew Brown: Investigative Reporter, Connecticut Mirror
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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ITuesday was Primary Day in Connecticut!From Bridgeport to Hartford, some of the state's major cities effectively determined who would be their municipality’s next leader. This hour, we tell you who won, who lost, and why it matters. Plus, a great panel of guests will dig into some hyperlocal races and tell us what they might mean for the state at-large.GUESTS:
- Thomas Breen: Managing editor, New Haven Independent
- Kate Seltzer: Howard Center for Investigative Reporting Fellow, Connecticut Public’s Accountability Project
- Eddy Martinez: Breaking news reporter, Connecticut Public
- Kay Perkins: Reporter, Connecticut Public
- Dan Haar: Senior editor and columnist, CTInsider.com
- Susan Raff: Chief Capitol reporter, WFSB
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate professor of political science and urban affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Eighty-three percent of American voters are either very worried or at least somewhat worried about the functioning of our democracy.
So what does this recent Quinnipiac poll tell us? Why are people losing faith in our democracy?
This hour, we’re asking some big questions about the future of democracy in the U.S., covering everything from political violence to voter suppression. Plus, we’ll give you a preview of some of the big races to watch on Primary Day next Tuesday.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Politics and Government, University of Hartford
- Archon Fung: Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School
- Anne Meng: Associate Professor in the Department of Politics, University of Virginia
- Mark Pazniokas: Capitol Bureau Chief, CT Mirror
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As students head back to school, there is new information about how the federal government will address federal student loan debt.
The White House is introducing a plan to reduce student loan payments, less than two months after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down an effort by the Biden administration to wipe out billions of dollars in student loan debt.
On a “back to school” edition of The Wheelhouse, we break down the new income-driven repayment plan, and at the local level, there’s a discussion on lawmakers' attempts to support the mental health of kids in public schools.
GUESTS:
- Nicole Narea: Politics/Society Reporter, Vox
- Ginny Monk: Children’s Issues/Housing Reporter, CT Mirror
- Katie Barnes: Writer/Reporter, ESPN.com
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From deepfakes to social media chatbots, new technologies are changing our national political landscape.
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, we’ve already seen everything from campaign ads using AI-generated images to the continued spread of misinformation on platforms like Facebook.
So, how exactly are emerging technologies like AI changing how we do politics? This hour, we’ll get into the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Plus, we’ll look at how Connecticut lawmakers are thinking about artificial intelligence and get an update on local health insurance costs.
GUESTS:
- Sujata Srinivasan: Senior health reporter, Connecticut Public
- Justin Hendrix: Co-founder and CEO of Tech Policy Press
- Ryan Heath: Co-author of the Axios Login newsletter, focused on all things AI and global trends in tech
- Micah Musser: Former Research Analyst at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology
- Alison Cross: Reporter at the Hartford Courant
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You don't have to live and breathe politics to know about the NRA or Planned Parenthood. These organizations influence our democracy in big and small ways, and they’re pretty public about it.
But what about those organizations that operate more in the shadows? Sometimes these organizations have just as much influence as the household names.
So why don’t we know about them, and what do they mean for our democracy? This hour, we investigate some of these shadowy organizations. Plus, we’ll zoom in on an organization targeting both LGBTQ+ and abortion rights in the U.S. today.
GUESTS:
- Anne Nelson: Author of Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right
- R.G. Cravens: Senior research analyst with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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Elections in 2023 will determine who will lead cities and towns in Connecticut like Hartford, Bridgeport, and Fairfield.
Local party committees recently faced a deadline to endorse candidates ahead of the September primaries. On this episode of The Wheelhouse, our panel of political experts and reporters discuss the primaries—from the endorsed candidates to their opponents.
Plus, what these municipal races tell us about how Connecticut residents will vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas: Capitol Bureau Chief, CT Mirror
- Christine Stuart: Editor-in-chief, CT News Junkie
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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All week long, Connecticut Public’s talk shows are celebrating all things nautical with its first-ever NautiWeek. So, on The Wheelhouse, we’re going big on some sea creatures getting attention at the State Capitol.
In recent years, state lawmakers have put in place a number of protections for both horseshoe crabs and shellfish — including a ban on hand-harvesting horseshoe crabs just this past year. This hour, learn all about efforts to preserve both of these creatures in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Jo-Marie Kasinak: Director, Project Limulus at Sacred Heart University
- John Moritz: State Reporter, CT Insider
- Tessa Getchis: Aquaculture Extension Educator, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension Program
Special thanks to our colleague Jeni Ahrens for contributing to this episode.
Dive into all of the nautical-themed stories airing this week on Connecticut Public's original talk shows by visiting ctpublic.org/nautiweek.
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The U.S. Coast Guard is coming under fire for its years-long cover-up of sexual assault. Now, federal lawmakers — including members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation — are demanding accountability. This hour, we’ll give you the latest on that.
Plus, service on one of the largest commuter railroads in America could shut down in the coming months. What a workers strike might mean for the Metro-North railroad — and your commute.
Finally, we break down the debate over Connecticut’s new kindergarten age cutoff.
GUESTS:
- Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, CT Mirror and Connecticut Public
- John Moritz: State Reporter, CT Insider
- Alex Putterman: Reporter, CT Insider
- Lisa Fiore: Professor and Chair of the Education Department, Lesley University
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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In 2021, Connecticut passed a law mandating school districts to have curricula focused on quote "the science of reading." That refers to research-backed approaches to literacy like phonics.
Initially, all 200 school districts had until July 1 of this year to implement an approved “science of reading” program. That deadline is now July 1, 2025. But not all school districts are happy about this.
So, why is “the science of reading” facing so much pushback? This hour, we’ll break down the past and present of the so-called “reading wars” in Connecticut and beyond.
GUESTS:
- Emily Hanford: Senior producer and correspondent at American Public Media; host of the award-winning podcast Sold a Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong
- Louise Spear-Swerling: Professor emerita in the department of special education at Southern Connecticut State University
- Dr. Margie Gillis: Founder and president of Connecticut-based nonprofit, “Literacy How”
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
The Wheelhouse
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It’s official — adults in Connecticut can now grow cannabis at home. If you’re 21 or older, you can legally grow up to 12 plants per household, as long as you’re growing them indoors and away from public view.
For years, cannabis has been a budding industry in Connecticut and across the U.S. The push to legalize — and expand the cannabis market — has swept the country. About half of all Americans live in a state where it’s legal to possess and purchase cannabis if you’re 21 years old.
This hour, we’ll get in the weedson Connecticut’s cannabis laws — and why there's been so much inaction at the federal level.
Plus, a recap of some recent Supreme Court decisions.
GUESTS:
- Jay Wexler: Law professor at Boston University and author of the book Weed Rules: Blazing the Way to a Just and Joyous Marijuana Policy
- Jordan Fenster: Reporter at Hearst Connecticut Media Group and CT Insider
- Tahira Rehmatullah: Co-founder of the CBD company, Commons, and investment firm, Highlands Venture Partners, and co-author of Waiting to Inhale: Cannabis Legalization and the Fight for Racial Justice
- Ian Millhiser: Senior Correspondent, Vox
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Connecticut has hundreds of miles of shoreline, extending from Greenwich in the west to Stonington in the east.
But many of these coastal communities have found ways to exclude certain people. In fact, there's a long history of segregation on our shores, dating back decades. This hour, we’ll unpack past and present beach access in Connecticut.
Plus, we’ll look at who does — and does not — get access to quality public spaces like parks.
GUESTS:
- Andrew Kahrl: Professor of history and African American Studies at the University of Virginia and author of Free the Beaches: The Story of Ned Coll and the Battle for America’s Most Exclusive Shoreline
- Dr. KangJae Lee: Assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, North Carolina State University
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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In May 1969, Black Panther Alex Rackley was murdered by fellow revolutionaries in Connecticut.
Rackley’s murder eventually led to what some call “one of the most significant political trials of the century.” In 1970, the New Haven Black Panther trials became the focus of national attention — and what happened then reverberates loudly into the present.
This hour, we’ll unpack everything from how the federal government targeted Black Panther Party leaders to the legacy of the trials in the Elm City.
GUESTS:
Mercy Quaye: CEO of the Narrative Project and host of the podcast, Revolution on Trial
Paul Bass: Founder of the New Haven Independent and co-author of Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale, and the Redemption of a Killer
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Connecticut will soon see what’s being called the largest reduction in income tax since it was first enacted in 1991.
As Connecticut cuts taxes, federal lawmakers are huddling over a reduction totaling north of $200 billion. This hour, we're looking at tax cuts and their impact on the economy. Plus, we'll recap President Joe Biden's recent visit to Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Susan Haigh: State Capitol/Political Writer, The Associated Press
- Ken Dixon: Government and Politics Reporter, CT Insider
- Jean Ross: Senior Fellow, Economic Policy, The Center for American Progress
- Molly Ingram: Fairfield County Reporter, WSHU
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Last Wednesday marked the final day of this year’s legislative session in Connecticut.
Since January 4th, lawmakers have debated bills surrounding medical aid-in-dying, zoning reform, Medicaid, gun control, and so much more. This hour, we're gonna break down some of the big bills from the session — and also talk about what lawmakers did not get to this year.
Plus, June’s a busy month for the Supreme Court. We’ll break down some of the big decisions expected in the weeks ahead.
GUESTS:
- Christine Stuart: Editor in Chief, CT News Junkie
- Jaden Edison: Justice Reporter, The Connecticut Mirror
- Susan Raff: Chief Political Reporter, WFSB
- Tobias Barrington Wolff: Jefferson Barnes Fordham Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
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This month marks one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Since then, we’ve seen states across the country roll back abortion access. But here in Connecticut, the opposite has been true.
From protections for providers to a “safe harbor fund,” lawmakers have proposed different ways to expand abortion access in the state this year. This hour, we’ll get the latest on that and how Connecticut compares to other states. Plus, we get a preview of the final day of this legislative session.
GUESTS:
- Deb Risisky: Professor of Public Health and Undergraduate Coordinator, Southern Connecticut State University
- Christine Stuart: Editor in Chief, CT News Junkie
- Sarah McCammon: National Correspondent, NPR
- John Craven: Political Reporter, News 12 Connecticut
- Chris Polansky: Reporter, Connecticut Public
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Last week, Connecticut officials finally gave the ‘thumbs up’ to baby bonds, reaching an agreement on how to finance its long-awaited program dedicated to reinvesting money in under-served communities.
Officials hope the program will help break cycles of generational poverty. It's on track to begin in July, after being in political limbo for quite some time. This hour, we look at what it will mean for Connecticut residents — and why it took so long to reach an agreement.
Plus, Connecticut has ended its COVID emergency. We’ll break down what that means for you.
GUESTS:
- Ginny Monk: Children’s Issues and Housing Reporter, CT Mirror
- Dedrick Asante‑Muhammad: Chief of Organizing, Policy, and Equity, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
- Ofronama Biu: Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
- Sujata Srinivasan: Senior Health Reporter, Connecticut Public
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Last year, Connecticut became one of the first states to mandate Asian American and Pacific Islander studies in K-12 public schools.
The bill requires AAPI studies to be implemented in the state curriculum by the 2025-26 school year. It also provides about $150,000 in state funding to support these efforts. School districts will incorporate a wide range of topics into their curricula, from AAPI history to AAPI involvement in the arts.
So where does the development of this curriculum stand right now? This hour, we check in on that.
Plus, we get the latest on legislation inspired by Randy Cox, who was paralyzed at the hands of police. We also look at the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.
GUESTS:
- Jason Oliver Chang: Professor of History and Asian and Asian American Studies, UCONN
- Eddy Martinez: Reporter, Connecticut Public
- William Buzbee: Professor and Faculty Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Program, Georgetown University Law Center
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Last election day, residents voted overwhelmingly to bring early voting to Connecticut. But it won’t be implemented in time for next election day, according to the state’s top election official, Stephanie Thomas. This hour, we look at how early voting will work in the state.
Plus, we look at efforts from Connecticut’s senators to regulate social media at the federal level, and we break down the professional diversity of the state’s judicial bench.
GUESTS:
- Christine Stuart: Editor-in-chief, CT News Junkie
- Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, CT Mirror and CT Public
- Michael Marciano: Bureau Chief, Connecticut Law Tribune
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President Joe Biden is officially running for president again. Last Tuesday, he announced his reelection campaign, saying we’re still “in a battle for the soul of America.” Ahead of 2024, we look at the Biden campaign for reelection.
Plus, we get the latest on bail reform in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Politics and Government, University of Hartford
- Brakkton Booker: Correspondent and author of The Recast newsletter at POLITICO
- Nina Smith: President, PoliSol Public Affairs, Inc.
- Jaden Edison: Justice Reporter, CT Mirror
For more visit ctpublic.org/wheelhouse.
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Last year, the state’s Board of Pardons and Paroles commuted the prison sentences of 71 people — including 44 doing time for murder.
Now, the board is facing backlash from some families of victims and lawmakers. Following the outcry, Gov. Ned Lamont has removed Carleton Giles as chair of the board. This hour, we'll look at how commutations became the political issue in recent weeks.
Plus, we’ll look into why medical aid-in-dying legislation failed this session.
GUESTS:
- Christopher Keating: Capitol Bureau Chief, Hartford Courant
- Miriam Gohara: Clinical Professor of Law, Yale Law School
- Mike Lawlor: Professor of Criminal Justice, University of New Haven; Former Under Secretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning for Governor Dannel Malloy
- Christine Stuart: Editor-in-chief, CT News Junkie
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A load of trash bags are dropped off at HQ Dumpsters and Recycling in Southington on April 14, 2022. Orange and green bags, which were part of a pilot municipal food waste recycling program in the town of Meriden at the time, get sorted out of the load and then transferred to an anaerobic digester and turned into electrical power and compost.
This Saturday, April 22nd, marks Earth Day. So we thought it was as good a time as ever to check in on what’s happening on the environmental beat in Connecticut. From bear hunts to trash, there have been a number of environmental proposals before lawmakers this session. This hour, we check in on where those stand.
Plus, there are efforts to legalize natural organic reduction, also known as “human composting," in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Mark Pazniokas: Capitol Bureau Chief, CT Mirror
- John Moritz: State Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
- Alison Cross: Reporter, Hartford Courant
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Former President Donald Trump dominated cable news last week when he appeared in a Manhattan court, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges.
On March 30th, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump in connection to hush money payments to the adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.
Despite the 34 criminal charges, Trump is still very much in the running for president. This hour, we look at Trump's indictment and what it might mean for 2024.
GUESTS:
- Maya King: Politics Reporter, New York Times
- Liz Kurantowicz: Republican strategist and political analyst
- Asha Rangappa: Lawyer, former FBI agent, and senior lecturer at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs
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Over the past decade, Connecticut has been able to cut its prison population in nearly half. But advocates say there’s a lot more that can be done to improve the criminal justice system.
This legislative session, there have been a number of proposals aimed at doing just that — involving everything from deceptive police tactics to voting while incarcerated. This hour, we look at the state of criminal justice reform in Connecticut.
Plus, we get the latest on some upcoming mayoral elections across the state.
GUESTS:
- Jaden Edison: Justice Reporter, The Connecticut Mirror
- Mercy Quaye: Founder, The Narrative Project; Editor, CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board
- James Forman, Jr.: Professor, Yale Law School; Faculty Director, Yale Law and Racial Justice Center
- Jonathan Wharton: Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University
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Following the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown, the phrase “stay woke” became a rallying cry among Black Lives Matter activists in Ferguson and beyond.
In the years since, the word “woke” has been weaponized by the right. Politicians like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are declaring a quote “war on woke,” going so far as to attempt to restrict what's being taught in schools. This hour, we’ll look at the anti-woke movement and what it means for the 2024 elections.
Plus, we break down what ranked choice voting could look like in Connecticut.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Bilal Sekou: Hillyer College Associate Professor of Politics and Government, University of Hartford
- Mordechai Gordon: Professor of Education, Quinnipiac University; Author, Education in a Cultural War Era: Thinking Philosophically about the Practice of Cancelling
- Eric McDaniel: Associate Professor of Government and Co-Director of the Politics of Race and Ethnicity Lab, University of Texas at Austin
- Alison Cross: Reporter, Hartford Courant
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Last year was the deadliest year on Connecticut’s roadways in recent memory. More than 230 people died in motor vehicle crashes, and another 75 people who were walking or biking died in crashes. That’s according to the state Department of Transportation.
In response, lawmakers are considering several bills this session with the goal of making our roads safer. This hour, we look at legislative efforts to make roads safer.
Plus, a look at maternity care deserts in the state — and how the Lamont administration is planning to address the issue.
GUESTS:
- Susan Raff: Chief Capitol Reporter, WFSB
- Ken Dixon: Government and Politics Reporter, Hearst CT Media
- Norman Garrick: Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut
- Alecia McGregor: Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Politics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health
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Connecticut Public's weekly politics show is returning with new host, Frankie Graziano. If politics are in your Wheelhouse, or you wish you could keep up, we got you. We'll drop a new episode every Wednesday with perspectives on local and national issues.
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Today Joe Biden became the forty-sixth president of the United States. Will America heed President Biden’s calls to end an 'uncivil war' in political debate that spilled over into violence at the capitol two weeks ago?
A vice presidential swearing-in also makes history.
Now that Donald Trump has left Washington and been kicked off Twitter, what has changed and what remains the same?
And how will Connecticut’s political parties be impacted by the change at the White House?
Guests: Robert A. Sanders -- Chair of the National Security Department of the Henry C. Lee College at the University of New Haven Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Hartford (@BilalSekou) Daniela Altimari -- Hartford Courant Politics Reporter (@capitolwatch)
This show aired live at 8 pm on inauguration day.
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Starting January 13, Connecticut Public Radio's weekly Wednesday politics show becomes part of Where We Live. It will have a revamped format that includes interviews with news makers and analysis from some of the same top notch reporters and political observers who contributed to The Wheelhouse.
To continue hearing our weekly politics program, go to the Where We Live web page, search your podcast app for Where We Live and subscribe, or download the Connecticut Public app!
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Two US Senate contests in Georgia will decide who controls the chamber. Democrats are optimistic after a night of vote counting. How big of an impact will the outcome have on the direction of the country?
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are divided about whether to accept the electoral college vote today, or whether to continue President Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the outcome of the presidential election. Will there be long-term ramifications for democracy? The Trump administration and its supporters have failed to deliver evidence to support their claims of widespread voter fraud.
Here in Connecticut, the General Assembly session begins today. But because of COVID-19, it will be anything but a normal opening day.
Guests:
Susan Bigelow -- Columnist for C-T News Junkie (@WhatEverSusan)
Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorPaz)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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The Wheelhouse looks back at what was... Quite a year.
Also a glance at the president's pardons and a very early look at some possible candidates for governor.
Guests:
Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)
Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Politics and Government at the University of Hartford (@bilalsekou)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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Connecticut’s education commissioner is heading to Washington. What sort of approach to schooling during the pandemic will Miguel Cardona bring to President-elect Joe Biden’s new administration? He’s not the only person with ties to the state heading to the capitol. Officials from Connecticut could have influence over environmental policy.
Back in the state, would you pay a little more for gasoline, if it resulted in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions?
And is it better for elected officials in Connecticut to get COVID-19 vaccinations now to instill confidence in the shots, or to wait until after all the doctors and nurses are vaccinated?
Guests:
Russell Blair -- Content Editor at the Hartford Courant (@RussellBlairCT)
Charles Venator-Santiago -- Associate professor of political science at the University of Connecticut
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Connecticut’s first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine has arrived. What does this moment represent in the battle against the virus? Electoral college votes have been cast in the state, and around the country, again confirming Joe Biden’s presidential win. Will Republican voters believe that Biden was victorious?
Guests:
Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University and Interim Associate Graduate School Dean (@PreppyProf)
Christine Stuart -- Owner and editor in chief of Connecticut News Junkie and a reporter for NBC Connecticut. (@ctnewsjunkie)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Connecticut could face a crossroads in its battle with COVID-19.
On one hand, healthcare workers are expected to get vaccinated over the next month-and-a-half. But shots for elderly people and patients with underlying medical problems will not begin until January, and people who are not in a high-risk or critical group are expected to have to wait until June.
In the meantime, can Connecticut prevent the virus from spiraling out of control over the holidays?
Guests:
Emily Brindley -- Hartford Courant Reporter (@em_brindley)
Dan Haar -- Columnist and associate editor at Hearst Connecticut (@DanHaarColumns)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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More than 5,000 people have died with coronavirus in Connecticut since the start of the pandemic. Deaths have been accelerating and the number of patients hospitalized with the illness is growing. But vaccines are on the horizon.
This week we look at Connecticut officials’ latest moves to counter the spread of COVID-19, and how virus response leads to disagreements in state governments around the country.
Guests:
Daniela Altimari -- state government and politics reporter at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)
Robert Cotto, Jr. -- Trinity College Educational Studies lecturer (@RobertCottoJr)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Top members of the Lamont administration go into quarantine as they also deal with a resurgence of COVID-19 in Connecticut. How much trouble are we facing in the state, and in the nation? And could an app on your phone help protect the people around you?
Guests:
Bill Curry -- Political analyst, former Democratic nominee for governor, and advisor in the Clinton White House (@billcurryct)
Harriet Jones -- Connecticut Public Radio Managing Editor (@WNPRHarriet)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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After losing the presidential election, the Trump administration has threatened to sue, and argued that maybe the Supreme Court should decide the election. Why have the lawsuits failed to gain traction so far?
President-elect Joe Biden has begun his transition effort, naming a Yale professor as one of the leaders of his coronavirus task force.
And new leaders are asserting themselves at the General Assembly.
Guests:
Renny Fulco -- Director of Public Policy and Law at Trinity College
Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorPaz)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Election day is in the rearview mirror… Finally. But what can we see back there? We will consider who will lead the country for the next four years, review Congressional contests in Connecticut, and search for meaning in General Assembly races.
Are you sitting on a ballot?
Guests:
Paul Bass -- New Haven Independent Editor (@PaulJBass)
Charles Venator-Santiago - Associate professor of political science at UConn
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Lucy Nalpathanchil previews the upcoming election with some of the same political scientists and reporters who share their insight on the Wheelhouse. Produced as a TV/radio/streaming special Thursday, October 29.
Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Political Science Professor and Senior Director for Inclusive Excellence at Quinnipiac University and author of Identity Politics in the United States and host of the Connecticut Public Radio show Disrupted
Dan Haar -- Columnist and associate editor at Hearst Connecticut
Jonathan Wharton -- Political Science and Urban Affairs Associate Professor and Interim Associate Graduate School Dean at Southern Connecticut State University
Christine Stuart -- (At the State Capitol) Connecticut News Junkie Editor in Chief and NBC Connecticut Reporter.
Emilie Munson -- (In Washington, D.C.) Hearst Newspapers Washington, D.C. Regional correspondent
In collaboration with Hearst Connecticut Newspapers.
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It’s the final Wheelhouse before election day, and we’ve got a lot to talk about. This hour, Colin McEnroe hosts as we look at the latest on the Presidential election where younger Americans are voting early in record numbers, and panelist Leah Wright-Rigueur says the GOP is flattering Black voters, while discouraging voter turnout.
Also, how confident should we feel about absentee voting here in Connecticut? Why doesn't Connecticut have early voting?
And as COVID positivity rates increase in our state, Halloween is looking a little different this year.
GUESTS: Leah Wright-Rigueur - Harry Truman Professor of American History at Brandeis University, Author of The Loneliness of the Black Republican (@LeahRigueur) Kevin Rennie - Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker, co-host of Face The State on NBC Connecticut (@DailyRuctions) Russell Blair - Content Editor at the Hartford Courant (@RussellBlairCT)
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The percentage of COVID-19 tests coming back positive is increasing in Connecticut. A member of the state’s Congressional delegation describes what it is like to be targeted by racism. And look out Donald Trump... Here comes the mute button! We look ahead to tomorrow’s debate between the president and former vice president Joe Biden.
Guests:
Emilie Munson -- Regional correspondent for Hearst newspapers based in Washington, D.C. (@emiliemunson)
Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Politics and Government at the University of Hartford (@bilalsekou)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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There was no Wheelhouse this week because of live coverage of Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing. In place of the Wheelhouse, here is a new program on Connecticut Public Radio called Disrupted. It's hosted by Khalilah Brown-Dean. She's a professor at Quinnipiac University and a panelist on the Wheelhouse. Disrupted looks at how the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement have changed the United States. Khalilah and her guests make sense of it all. Check out Disrupted's web page!
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Donald Trump is back at the White House following his hospitalization with coronavirus. But did some aspects of the president's return send the wrong message about coronavirus?
Given the ages of both candidates for president, maybe we should pay a little more attention to tonight’s vice presidential debate.
We will also check in on the initial Fifth Congressional District debate. After recovering from COVID-19, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes faced off with former prosecutor David Sullivan.
Guests:
Daniela Altimari - state government and politics reporter at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)
Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University and Interim Associate Graduate School Dean (@PreppyProf)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden met in the first presidential debate last night. The two men traded personal insults, and the president repeatedly interrupted the former vice president. Here in Connecticut state lawmakers are gearing up for a special session today. We will have the latest on which proposals are in, and which are out.
Guests:
Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorPaz)
Charles Venator-Santiago - Associate professor of political science at UConn
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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Amid signs of public distrust in a quick vaccine release, Governor Ned Lamont says the state will review any COVID-19 innoculation for safety and effectiveness. A member of Connecticut’s congressional delegation tests positive for coronavirus. And how will Halloween be different during the pandemic?
Guests:
John McKinney -- Former Republican State Senate Minority Leader (@SenatorMcKinney)
Christine Stuart -- Owner and editor in chief of Connecticut News Junkie and a reporter for NBC Connecticut. (@ctnewsjunkie)
Join us on Twitter! (@wnprwheelhouse)
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There are developments in two unrelated federal investigations that involve Connecticut and the world of politics.
One inquiry resulted in the arrest of Bridgeport’s police chief and the city’s personnel director.
There was a high-ranking resignation from the other probe, amid concerns about political pressure from the Trump administration. That investigation is run by the US attorney from Connecticut, and targets the federal officials who investigated possible connections between the president and Russia.
Also, COVID-19 may be sticking its nose back under the tent in Connecticut.
...And Khalilah Brown-Dean gets Disruptive!
Dan Haar -- Columnist and associate editor at Hearst Connecticut (@DanHaarColumns)
Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and Senior Director for Inclusive Excellence at the university and author of Identity Politics in the United States and host of the upcoming Connecticut Public Radio show Disrupted. (@KBDPHD)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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There are developments in two unrelated federal investigations that involve Connecticut and the world of politics.
One inquiry resulted in the arrest of Bridgeport’s police chief and the city’s personnel director.
There was a high-ranking resignation from the other probe, amid concerns about political pressure from the Trump administration. That investigation is run by the US attorney from Connecticut, and targets the federal officials who investigated possible connections between the president and Russia.
Also, COVID-19 may be sticking its nose back under the tent in Connecticut.
...And Khalilah Brown-Dean gets Disruptive!
Dan Haar -- Columnist and associate editor at Hearst Connecticut (@DanHaarColumns)
Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and Senior Director for Inclusive Excellence at the university and author of Identity Politics in the United States and host of the upcoming Connecticut Public Radio show Disrupted. (@KBDPHD)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
High school football players, parents, and coaches make a goal line stand to try to prevent the cancelation or postponement of their season due to COVID-19. Is the virus controlled enough to let students compete on the gridiron? Also, a partisan divide deepens over the governor's coronavirus emergency powers.
Russell Blair -- Content Editor at the Hartford Courant (@RussellBlairCT)
Keila Torres Ocasio -- Investigative Editor at Hearst Connecticut (@ktorresbpt)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse!
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Governor Ned Lamont wants to keep his coronavirus emergency powers a few months longer. Not everyone is happy about that. Will the pandemic alter the next race for governor? Plus we look at some other impacts of COVID-19 in Connecticut, and we check in on the presidential race now that the conventions are in the rear view mirror, demonstrators are clashing in the streets of some cities, and the president visits Kenosha, Wisconsin.
David Collins -- Columnist for The Day in New London (@DavidCollinsct)
Susan Raff -- Chief Capitol Reporter for Eyewitness News Channel 3 (@SusanRaff1)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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Republicans use their national convention to stoke concerns about radical Black Lives Matter demonstrators, socialists, and low-income housing.
Eversource gets zapped by angry Connecticut customers at a public hearing on rate hikes.
And how will parents and educators choose between in-person classes and distance learning as the school year begins?
Guests:
Daniela Altimari - state government and politics reporter at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)
Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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The Democratic National Convention goes virtual. President Donald Trump takes on the Post Office as Connecticut and many other states are poised to expand voting through the mail in November. Domestic violence allegations that were known in the GOP resulted in the arrest of a Republican congressional primary candidate who won the party's endorsement anyway. How bad is the fallout for party leadership?
Guests:
Kaitlyn Krasselt -- statewide political reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media (@kaitlynkrasselt)
Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Politics and Government at the University of Hartford (@bilalsekou)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Join us on Twitter @wnprwheelhouse.
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This week, we clean up after the storm and the state's primary. There may also be discussion of football.
Guests:
Brian Lockhart -- Covers Bridgeport politics and policy at Hearst Connecticut (@blockhart1)
Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief at the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorPaz)
Mercy Quaye -- Columnist for Hearst Connecticut, adjunct faculty at Southern Connecticut State University, and founding Principal Consultant at The Narrative Project (@Mercy_WriteNow)
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The state Senate is considering a police accountability bill that cleared the house last week. Meanwhile, parents, teachers, and students are making difficult decisions about going back to school during the pandemic.
Robert Cotto, Junior -- Trinity College Director of Urban Educational Initiatives and Educational Studies lecturer (@RobertCottoJr)
Keith Phaneuf -- State budget reporter at the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorKeith)
Christine Stuart -- Owner and editor of Connecticut News Junkie (@ctnewsjunkie)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Coline McEnroe Show and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@colinmcenroe)
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We look at the mostly positive trends for COVID-19 in the state. And we glance worriedly at some other states. Our panel will take a closer look at new rules, training, and oversight for police officers in Connecticut. That bill is expected to soon be considered in a General Assembly special session. And are new beach restrictions in some towns really entirely about COVID-19?
Guests:
Renny Fulco -- Director of Public Policy and Law at Trinity College
Dan Haar -- Columnist and Associate Editor at Hearst Connecticut Media (@DanHaarColumns)
Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Associate Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)
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State lawmakers have put some details on the table, as they craft a law enforcement bill in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. But does the proposal meet the needs of the moment? After opposition including a lawsuit involving the state of Connecticut, the Trump administration backs off a new rule that targeted international students. And an announcement is expected in the coming weeks, as former Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd helps presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden find a vice presidential running mate.
Guests:
Paul Bass -- New Haven Independent Editor (@PaulJBass)
Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and Senior Director for Inclusive Excellence and author of Identity Politics in the United States (@KBDPHD)
Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)
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Abolitionist Frederick Douglass has been in the news recently, even though he died more than a century ago. What can one of his speeches from before the Civil War teach us today? What could be proposed in a Connecticut General Assembly special session in response to the death of George Floyd? Donald Trump offers a possible preview of his campaign themes. And Connecticut postpones the next step of re-opening because of mounting COVID-19 cases in other states.
Guests:
Daniela Altimari - state government and politics reporter at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)
Bill Curry - Political analyst, former Democratic nominee for governor, and advisor in the Clinton White House (@billcurryct)
Charles Venator-Santiago - Associate Professor of Political Science at UConn
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This week on the Wheelhouse, we compare some of the proposals on the state level in Connecticut, in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Should the focus of a special session be on making law enforcement more just for people of color? Or should larger issues also be considered? Will a special session actually happen? State GOP lawmakers are involved in lawsuits challenging the coronavirus actions of some Democratic Connecticut officials.
Guests:
Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorPaz)
John Henry Smith -- Connecticut Public Radio’s host of All Things Considered (@jhsthethird)
Christine Stuart -- C-T News Junkie editor-in-chief and a reporter at NBC Connecticut (@ctnewsjunkie)
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Changes are starting to be made in Connecticut law enforcement, as protests continue over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. The US Supreme Court issues a decision some see as a landmark in the fight for gay rights. And today marks the start of a new phase of the reopening of businesses in Connecticut as coronavirus recedes in the state.
Guests:
Russell Blair - Content Editor at the Hartford Courant (@RussellBlairCT)
Leah Wright Rigueur -- Associate Professor of Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School (@LeahRigueur)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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...You should listen to First Wave. It's the Connecticut Public Radio news documentary about the arrival of COVID-19 in the state. With information collected as the illness spread, and interviews that reveal new information about the state's response to the pandemic, First Wave looks at how cornavirus has changed the lives of many people in Connecticut.
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The country is jolted by the death of George Floyd, and by nation-wide demonstrations against police brutality that sometimes turned violent. How did we get to this point? What should be done to make law enforcement and society more just?
Guests:
David Collins -- Columnist for The Day in New London (@DavidCollinsct)
Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Politics and Government at the University of Hartford (@bilalsekou)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
Some reading suggestions for people trying to understand all of this:
1. Racecraft: The Soul of Inequality in American Life by Karen E. Fields and Barbara J. Fields
2. From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
3. Making All Black Lives Matter: Reimagining Freedom in the Twenty-First Century by Barbara Ransby
4. White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
5. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
6. White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
7. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
8. Chokehold: Policing Black Men by Paul Butler
9. Policing the Planet: Why the Policing Crisis Led to Black Lives Matter by Jordan T. Camp
10. The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale
11. Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
List courtesy of Professor Bilal Sekou.
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This week, we take a look at the political divide on coronavirus in Connecticut and around the country. But could there also be a seed of pandemic bipartisanship in the state? We playback some of the judicial greatest hits of a high-profile member of the state Supreme Court. How might Justice Richard Palmer’s retirement change the court? And a look at some award-winning reporting.
Guests:
Kaitlyn Krasselt -- Political Reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media (@kaitlynkrasselt)
Jonathan Wharton -- Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Is today the right time to start re-opening Connecticut’s economy after much of the state was closed to slow the spread of coronavirus? We discuss the start of a phased-in reopening of businesses in the state. We take a closer look at the problems plaguing the state Department of Public Health. Have they limited the agency’s capabilities during the pandemic? Amid controversy over the attempted firing of the Partnership for Connecticut's new CEO, the Dalios pull out of the partnership. They blame two state lawmakers.
Guests:
Dan Haar -- Columnist and Associate Editor at the Connecticut Post (@DanHaarColumns)
Susan Raff -- Chief Capitol Reporter for Eyewitness News Channel 3 (@SusanRaff1)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Governor Ned Lamont has removed the Commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Public Health in the middle of a pandemic. How big are the problems faced by nursing homes trying to keep their elderly residents safe? We continue talking about the changes coming as the state gradually re-opens on May 20. And we share feats of strength and air grievances with a bit of a heavy heart, following the death of Seinfeld actor Jerry Stiller.
Guests:
Beth Hamilton -- Executive Editor of the Connecticut Mirror (@ekhamilton4)
Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Parents have gotten news they were expecting about continued distance learning, but it’s still going to be a rough two months. Most states in the nation had already made this decision, including Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
This hour, we talk about what this will mean for students and educators, and how schools might plan to reopen in the fall.
Also, in Connecticut black residents are dying from COVID-19 in higher numbers per capita than white residents. So what is the state doing to get more testing to vulnerable communities?
And some think Chris Dodd is an odd choice as co-chair of Joe Biden’s VP search committee.4
GUESTS: Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe) Susan Bigelow - columnist at ctnewsjunkie.com (@whateversusan) Bilal Sekou-- Associate Professor of Politics and Government at University of Hartford (@bilalsekou)
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May 20th. It’s the day that Governor Lamont’s closure orders run out. Will schools and nonessential businesses begin to open back up? That all depends on positive trends on COVID-19 hospitalizations, and access to testing.
Meanwhile, the 47-member “Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group” has been meeting behind closed doors to give recommendations to the governor on how the state might begin to get back to any sort of normal.
This hour we check in on what it might look like to reopen our state.
Also, we remember Hartford Courant journalist Josh Kovner who passed away on Friday.
GUESTS: Mark Paziokas - Capitol bureau cheif at the Connecticut Mirror (@ctmirrorpaz) Daniela Altimari - covers state government and politics at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch) Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Some Connecticut residents including Trump supporters protested this week in their cars against the coronavirus shutdowns. The Connecticut General Assembly’s regular session is kaput, but lawmakers may return in a special session. Another GOP leader will say goodbye... But not forever. The state’s presidential primary has gotten delayed again, and now is the same day as the primaries for state offices. Connecticut US Senator Chris Murphy's foreign policy chops lands him a national profile.
Guests: Christine Stuart -- C-T News Junkie editor-in-chief (@ctnewsjunkie) Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf) Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Yet again, President Donald Trump draws attention to himself with his comments. This time the president claims to have "total authority" over decisions to re-open businesses and schools. But governors actually make those decisions on a state level during a major public health crisis like coronavirus. The president also says he will cut US funding for the World Health Organization, in the middle of a pandemic.
Has a partisan divide emerged over steps Governor Ned Lamont has taken to slow the spread of coronavirus? GOP state lawmakers have spoken out against some of the Democratic leader’s emergency orders.
We will also talk about the damage done to state finances by COVID-19 and efforts to slow the virus' spread.
Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign and endorsed Joe Biden, but could Connecticut still have a presidential primary anyway?
Guests: Harriet Jones -- Connecticut Public Radio Managing Editor (@WNPRHarriet) Keith Phaneuf -- State Budget reporter for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorKeith) Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)
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Has COVID-19 ended Connecticut's General Assembly session? Lucy Nalpathanchil checks in with a lawmaker diagnosed with the disease. How can voting go forward in Wisconsin while coronavirus is spreading? And why does it seem to be hitting black people harder than white people?
Guests: Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and author of Identity Politics in the United States (@KBDPHD) Russell Blair – Hartford Courant Content Editor (@RussellBlairCT) Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)
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Coronavirus is spreading across the nation, and New York City has become a hot spot for the disease. With its ties to New York, nearby Fairfield County has also been hard hit. But as some governors try to protect their residents by ordering quarantine for out-of-staters, does it tear at the fabric of our country? Was the president too quick to speculate about quarantining parts of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey? We’ll also hear what our panelists are reading and watching now that we must all stay in.
GUESTS: Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions) Kaitlyn Krasselt -- Political Reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media (@kaitlynkrasselt) Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)
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Some people are seeing a recession in economic numbers for Connecticut and the nation. Parts of the US economy have virtually shut down to prevent people from mingling and spreading COVID-19. Agreement is reached to move forward a major coronavirus economic bailout package in Congress -- but not without partisan battles. What will it actually do? And could the spread of coronavirus be a moment when everything changes? Oh, by the way Connecticut’s presidential primary was postponed. Along with everything else.
GUESTS
Susan Bigelow -- Columnist for C-T News Junkie (@WhatEverSusan)
Dan Haar -- Connecticut Post Columnist and Associate Editor (@DanHaarColumns)
Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show. His new blog is called How Are You? I Am Fine. (@ColinMcenroe)
Join us on Twitter @WNPRWheelhouse!
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This week a look at coronavirus in one Connecticut city, on the state-wide level, and across the country. How could COVID-19 change society? We also dissect the Democratic presidential primary results from the states that did not postpone their vote.
Guests: Daniela Altimari -- Hartford Courant state government and politics reporter (@CapitolWatch) Paul Bass -- New Haven Independent Editor (@PaulJBass) on Skype Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show. His new blog is called How Are You? I Am Fine. (@ColinMcenroe)
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This week, we sort through the results from the latest round of Democratic presidential primaries in Michigan and five other states. Coronavirus has already postponed rallies and threatens to limit campaign activity at a key stage in the contest. We will look at the response to the virus across the country, and in Connecticut, where it is officially a public health emergency.
GUESTS: Bill Curry - Political analyst, former Democratic nominee for governor, and advisor in the Clinton White House (@billcurryct) Christine Stuart - CT News Junkie Editor (@CTNewsJunkie) Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show (@colinmcenroe)
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We pick up the pieces after the Super Tuesday primary. How big a factor were the endorsements of departing candidates Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar for Joe Biden's big night? Bernie Sanders tried to cement a lead, but that did not happen. Michael Bloomberg placed a big bet on this round of primaries, and won.. American Samoa. What does the future hold for Elizabeth Warren? Plus, state lawmakers deal with possible conflicts of interest. And is Greater Hartford's water agency in over its head?
GUESTS: Bilal Sekou -- Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Hartford (@BilalSekou) Harriet Jones -- Connecticut Public Radio Managing Editor (@wnprharriet) Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show (@colinmcenroe)
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Because I could not stop for tolls --
They kindly stopped for me --
The Chrysler held but just ourselves --
And not the D-O-T.
This week on The Wheelhouse, the failure of a tolls proposal will have lasting implications for Connecticut’s finances, and for the state’s transportation system. But what does it say about the governor’s ability to sway fellow Democrats in the house and senate on other issues? A vaccine bill advances in the General Assembly, despite vocal opposition. How solid is your foundation?
Apologies to Emily Dickinson.
GUESTS: Len Besthoff - Chief Investigative Reporter for NBC Connecticut (@LenNBC) Christopher Keating - Hartford Courant Capitol Bureau Chief (@chrispkeating) Colin McEnroe - Host of the Colin McEnroe Show (@colinmcenroe)
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Watch for crowds of people opposed to vaccines at the state capitol today for a public hearing on a bill that would require students claiming religious objections to get the shots. Some of the parents fearful of vaccines are threatening to pull their kids out of school or leave the state. Also, how do quasi public agencies work? Some say one quasi public ran aground while preparing for a major upgrade to state pier in New London. Plus, lawmakers might be close to a vote on truck tolls. Maybe.
GUESTS: David Collins - Columnist at The Day (@DavidCollinsct) Mark Pazniokas - Capitol Bureau Chief for the Connecticut Mirror (@ctmirrorpaz) Jonathan Wharton - Associate Professor of Political Science at Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)
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On The Wheelhouse this week, we run the odds on a gambling expansion bill and take a closer look at the state budget. We examine Connecticut's efforts to influence the New Hampshire Primaries. And should the state go forward with about 100-million dollars in XL Center renovations in Hartford?
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On this week's Wheelhouse: President Donald Trump's impeachment trial is scheduled to end with a final vote the day after his state of the union address. Has impeachment altered the presidential race? A new general assembly session also begins today. What will lawmakers be up to? Plus, we look at issues confronting Connecticut’s new chief states attorney.
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Are Lawmakers and the governor nearing the end of their long dance on tolls? The latest transportation bill gets a public hearing Friday. A vote could happen early next week. We preview some of the issues facing the General Assembly in next week’s regular legislative session. Also, will a draft of John Bolton’s book alter the impeachment trial?
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A Connecticut view of impeachment, one state lawmaker suggests giving a raise to legislators, and the speaker of the state house is open to a General Assembly debate over Native American school mascots.
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The Wheelhouse roars back to life to confront tolls, the ways and means of Ned Lamont, and the latest Sheff V. O’Neill school desegregation settlement!
Plus, the long-awaited reveal of the new Wheelhouse host, Lucy Nalpathanchil!
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In an effort to avoid talking about tolls yet again, The Wheelhouse flees to the icebound hell of New Haven. But there is no escape. Also we have discussion of gentrification and a glance at presidential endorsements in Connecticut.
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This hour, we focus on the ongoing impeachment hearings. The House Intelligence Committee has released its report. The House Judiciary Committee is about to hold its first hearing on the matter. What legal strategies are at play? We compare this impeachment with earlier proceedings.
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This week we continue our discussion on tolls! There's a new proposal for trucks-only tolls that some democrats are supporting. And what's the future of the Democratic Party in Connecticut? We also talk about the sudden acendence of Jim Himes, and persistant political myths - like the "temporary" income tax.
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This hour, we talk through Governor Lamont's transportation plan - he wants to use $320 million in toll revenue to restore the state's infrastructure, improve commutes on state highways and Metro North, and stabilize the Special Transportation Fund.
Also, Sandy Hook families will get their day in court, as the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Remington Arms to overturn a ruling that would prevent lawsuits against gun manufacturers.
And we weigh in on the recent backlash against student journalists at Northwestern and Harvard.
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Listen live Wednesday at 9:00 am
Are there any lessons we can learn from last night? Probably not. The predicted trends, like “The Trump Effect” didn’t really emerge. The state was split between Republican and Democratic victories.
When people see an election that doesn’t go the way they think it was going to go, their natural reaction is to overcompensate to make sure that doesn’t happen again; we saw that (at minimum) in Greenwich last night. This week on the Wheelhouse, analysis of races from all over the state, and more.
GUESTS: Dan Haar - associate editor and columnist on business and the intersection of politics and economics at Hearst CT Media (@DanHaarColumns) Susan Bigelow - Contributor at CT News Junkie (@whateversusan) Jonathan L. Wharton - Associate Professor Political Science & Urban Affairs, Southern Connecticut State University
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A battle over campaign lawn signs? Dueling opinion pieces about how great or terrible our state is? Big questions about how we’ll keep our population or lose it to those states down south? It sounds like your typical Wednesday in Connecticut.
But what's typical, really, in this tiny, postage-stamp-sized state where everyone knows everyone else, but we still feel the need to bust ourselves into 169 little enclaves? Where we balance justified pride of place while nursing a sometimes crippling inferiority complex? Where we battle over all the ways we’re losing or failing, when -- if you look around -- you see a state that’s beautiful, diverse and dare I say, even exciting?
This hour, we consider all of these stories in the week’s news, and a lot more. We also look back our conversations here over the years, as it’s John Dankosky's last Wednesday hosting this program.
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The language of politics--of America, really--has gotten quite a bit uglier over the last few years. And the last few weeks in Connecticut are a case in point. Female political leaders from both major parties faced online insults and threats, and prompted a call from the governor and others for a more civil tone.
If that was the only hateful speech of the week, it’d be enough, but we have a republican party leader saying that a Donald Trump re-election would mean “riots will begin in liberal cities” and “blood will be spilled.” Plus, we'll talk about how two UConn students were arrested this week for shouting racial slurs, caught on camera, and we'll discuss the trends shown by the latest Quinnpiac poll on impeachment.
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Last night’s 12-person Democratic presidential debate proved a few things:
- That’s too many people on stage.
- Elizabeth Warren has become both the front-runner and the target of most of her colleagues.
- Warren is proving to be a bit harder to attack than former front-runner, Joe Biden.
This hour, we consider what happened on stage in Ohio, amid an impeachment inquiry and worsening situation in Syria. We also look at how Democrats are seemingly all in agreement on one thing: gun control.
Also, state Democrats and Republicans are exchanging words over social media posts and a controversial speaker, but they may be talking a bit more productively over the issue of tolls.
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The House of Representatives is conducting an impeachment inquiry into President Trump for his call for an investigation of Joe Biden’s son by the Ukranian government; Trump now says he and his White House won’t cooperate with what it’s calling an illegitimate effort “to overturn the results of the 2016 election” - an obstruction that the House might use to consider another article of impeachment.
Meanwhile Americans are increasingly in favor of the impeachment investigation and down on Trump. But not all Americans. He still has sky-high approval ratings with Republicans, including a small group of young black Republicans who recently met with Trump.
This week, we hear the latest from Washington, and from Bridgeport, where testimony continues this week in a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the results of Bridgeport’s primary election for mayor.
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As impeachment news consumes Washington, more and more Americans seem to think that the House inquiry is a good idea.
The latest Quinnipiac poll shows a big jump in the number of people who support impeaching President Trump - basically an even split - but a majority now favors the House looking into his actions regarding Ukraine.
This hour, we discuss this, the revelations that Trump wanted to protect the U.S. border with a moat filled with snakes, and even a story about how people can get along in our current political system.
Plus, the closing of a grocery store reignites the debate over the rising minimum wage.
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House speaker Nancy Pelosi took a long time to warm up to the idea of impeachment proceedings against President Trump. But the latest saga involving a whistleblower complaint about a call with Ukraine’s president, seemingly pressuring him to investigate Trump’s main political rival Joe Biden has gotten the impeachment train rolling, and all members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation are now on board.
This hour we assess what our state politicians are saying about this week’s pivotal Washington news.
Also - it’s not over in Bridgeport. After a contested Democratic primary that had incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim beating State Senator Marilyn Moore on the strength of absentee ballots, there’s a state elections investigation and a lawsuit by voters.
And, as some new state laws go into effect October 1, there’s still work to do on others.
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That whole debate about tolls was getting so old.
Now, we get to talk about the new debate at the capitol - over rotisserie chicken! Yes, a plan to tax more prepared food - which already faced opposition - was rolled out by the Lamont administration in a way that he’s already walking back. Way more food items faced a higher tax than anyone expected.
That comes as at the same time as a controversy over religious exemptions for vaccines and GOP lawmakers calling the governor “incompetent.”
This hour, we pull apart a particularly ugly week at the capitol.
Also, we’ll consider what’s next for states like Connecticut trying to claw money out of drug maker Purdue Pharma as the giant opioid maker goes into bankruptcy.
And, we’ll consider the latest literary trend, an op-ed from suburbanites fleeing the state, after putting their kids through public school of course.
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Primaries in Connecticut’s municipal elections could’ve been a dull affair, but that was certainly not the case last night.
You had a big upset: Justin Elicker, in his second try at the mayor’s job in New Haven, beating incumbent Toni Harp, a force in Democratic politics for decades. You had an incumbent mayor Luke Bronin easily beating back challenges from a former mayor and state rep. And, you had another incumbent, Joe Ganim, very narrowly defeating state Senator Marilyn Moore, in a race so close it came down to a few hundred absentee ballots.
This hour, we look back at what these primaries mean, and we look ahead to this week’s presidential debate, where a thinned, but still pretty hefty slate of Democrats face off in the next round of herd-thinning as we head toward the 2020 election.
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Governor Lamont is back from his Maine vacation and seemingly rarin’ to go. In just the last week or so, he overruled his health commissioner and will release school-by-school data on vaccinations, rolled out a big transportation plan, and committed to a no-carbon electric grid by 2040.
All that, and he STILL had time to dance like nobody was watching at Nedstock!
This hour, we update you on the many storylines coming out of the governor’s office. And, we look at Hartford’s bid to get the 2020 presidential debate - including a big commitment from the region’s largest philanthropic organization. Oh yeah, and it’s just a week away from those important mayoral primaries - we’ll get the latest on those races.
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U.S. Representative Jahanna Hayes (D-5th District) issued a press release Sunday accusing the news media of “clickbait journalism” in response to two recent stories she claims made “reckless assumptions” about her comments.
President Trump has labeled the press the enemy of the people. At a time when trust in the media is low and anxiety over misinformation high, was there a better way to address this issue?
Also this hour: Connecticut’s public health commissioner decided Tuesday not to release updated school-by-school vaccine data that would show parents whether their child’s school has reached herd immunity -- or not.
And chaos at the Connecticut Port Authority leaves some wondering if the agency is able to guide a $93 million investment in New London’s state pier and a growing offshore wind generation project.
All that and more.
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Connecticut’s three biggest cities have mayoral elections this year that could determine what’s next for New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.
This week, we have a special program, talking with experts watching these races closely. We give you the latest on city politics, and why they matter to you, even if you don’t live there.
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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is among the state's public officials vowing to fight the Trump administration's latest anti-immigrantion measure. It's one that would broaden the definition of "public charge" and could be used to block green cards or legal citizenship to those deemed impoverished enough to require government assistance.
Meanwhile, immigrant rights groups are protesting the role that judicial marshals at Connecticut courthouses continue to play in the deportation of undocumented residents.
Today, we look at just how Connecticut is, and is not, opposing the president on these and other immigration battles.
We also take a peek at life on the island off Maine where Gov. Ned Lamont is taking a two-week "working vacation" with his family. Should it matter where the governor goes to get away from the office?
And we jump into the debate over what Connecticut residents should call themselves. Should we be collectively known as Connecticutters, as insisted by the U.S. Government Publishing Office Style Manual, or something else?
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Including this weekend's carnage in Texas and Ohio, there were 253 incidents in which four or more victims were shot in the first 217 days of this year, according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.
But is Congress ever going to take Connecticut's lead and address any of them?
That remains to be seen, though Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is hopeful about his new partnership with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham on a legislative proposal to promote so-called "red flag" laws, a step Connecticut took back in 1999.
This week, we sort through what, if any, progress may come from these latest tragedies, which President Donald Trump's critics say his racist rhetoric clearly helped to fuel. Is such partisanship leveled against our commander-in-chief ill-timed or long overdue?
We also analyze the latest potential variable in the state's ever-evolving casino expansion quagmire: Hartford's XL Center. And we consider the surge in businesses starting up in Connecticut. What does it mean for the state's economic future?
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From the moment they took the stage Tuesday night, progressive and moderate Democrats running for president clashed over who could win back the Rust Belt working-class districts that President Trump took in 2016.
But what about urban districts? Can Republican candidates counter Trump's continued disparagement--Baltimore being the latest victim--of American cities?
This week, we take out the electoral map and look at places where both parties need to reshape their message going into the 2020 race.
Is "Medicare for All" a winnign strategy for Democrats? We focus in on that, and the renewed push here in Connecticut for a public option.
And we head over to the grocery store where starting Thursday a new fee for plastic bags takes effect.
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Connecticut's five U.S. Representatives stood with their Democratic colleagues and four Republicans Tuesday in rebuking President Donald Trump for his Twitter attacks against a group of minority congresswomen who have become known as "The Squad."
Now what?
Today we look at what the House resolution, approved on a 240-187 vote, means for an increasingly divided Democratic Party, Trump's base of support, the 2020 presidential election, and race relations in a country undergoing seismic demographic changes.
Here in Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont this week found new allies--his counterparts in Massachusetts and Rhode Island--in his bid for highway tolls. He's also dangling a new deal before state lawmakers to draw them back to Hartford this year to vote on a toll plan. Will they bite?
And it looks like more hot days are ahead for Hartford. A new study warns the city could see as many as 44 days a year of summer temperatures above 90 degrees by 2050.
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Gov. Ned Lamont is in search of a new look at his State Capitol office, and we're not just talking about the new wallpaper and carpeting he wants to install.
Staff changes also are in the works, including a new spokesman, NBC Connecticut political reporter Max Reiss.
This week, we gauge what this all means for Lamont's agenda, as well as his relations with the media and state lawmakers.
Legislators have yet to budge on the governor's call for them to reconvene in special session to take up a highway toll plan. Is it time to come up with a Plan B for funding vital upgrades to the state's transportation system?
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Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced Tuesday his support for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
The news arrived amid reports that the former vice president’s polling lead is shrinking, as California U.S. Senator Kamala Harris' numbers rise.
On this episode, our panel of reporters and political experts weighs in on this and other top stories from the week.
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Despite the many GOP losses in Connecticut races last election, state Republican insiders Tuesday night granted J.R. Romano a two-year extension as party chairman. In the end, only one challenger stepped up to oppose him. The vote wasn't even close.
This week, we take measure of how Romano managed to hold onto the post, the hurdles he faces to make GOP candidates more competitive, and the role of state party chairs at a time when campaign dollars increasingly flow from sources outside their control.
We also revisit UConn's costly quest to become a football powerhouse as it considers joining a reconstituted Big East Conference firmly built around basketball. Is it time to finally throw in the towel on the path to gridiron glory?
And we consider the implications of U.S. Rep. Jim Himes breaking with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on whether to move forward with the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
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If large corporations, like United Technologies, are increasingly eyeing urban hubs for future growth, what are we doing to put our cities at the cusp of that trend? Or more likely, what aren't we doing as a state?
This week, we take stock of what cities such as Hartford, New Haven, and Bridgeport have to offer CEOs looking to relocate their companies, and where they fall short.
Access to mass transit has long been seen as a deterrent to business growth in Connecticut. Will new Hartford Line ridership numbers, beating initial expectations, spur further rail investments across the state?
We also shine a light on the less-than-transparent actions taken by the legislature this year, including pay raises for legislative staff quietly added to the state budget.
And we reflect on Sandy Hook conspiracy theorists who were spanked in two civil court cases this week.
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Last fall, after United Technologies Corp. announced it would spin off its Otis Elevator and Carrier divisions, then Governor-elect Ned Lamont vowed he would watch the Farmington-based conglomerate "like a hawk" to retain its workforce in Connecticut.
But this weekend's news that UTC would merge with Raytheon Co., and move its headquarters to Waltham, MA., came with little advanced notice to the Lamont administration.
But should it have been all that surprising? Especially given the draw of major economic hubs like Boston, and what some see as a lack of priority by the General Assembly to adequately address the state's relatively stagnant job growth over the past decade?
Today, with Lucy Nalpathanchil from WNPR's Where We Live in the host seat, we assess the political and economic ramifications of UTC's plans. What lessons can the state learn from this latest hit?
We also grade the governor on his ability to herd the General Assembly during the regular legislative session. And we preview the special session likely to be gaveled in later this summer.
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With more than 24 hours to spare, the legislature's Democratic majorities on Tuesday evening delivered a two-year state budget to Gov. Ned Lamont. It doesn't raise income taxes on the rich, or deplete Connecticut's rainy day fund.
So then, just how does the $43.4 billion plan add up? And how were enough lawmakers brought on board to get it across the finish line?
Today, we dive deep into the budget to get those answers, and address Republican critics' concerns over "pork barrel" spending.
We also look at two curious budget line items. One specifically benefits one of Connecticut's insurance giants. The other exempts the board overeeing a public-private partnership between the state and Connecticut's wealthiest couple from open government and ethics laws.
And we check out former Gov. Dannel Malloy's latest endeavor: overhauling higher education as chancellor at the University of Maine.
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It's been a half-century since the torture and eventual murder of wrongly suspected FBI informant Alex Rackney by members of the Black Panther Party. The racial tensions in New Haven that followed when party leaders were put on trial for Rackney's death led to the National Guard patrolling its streets.
In some ways, the city has changed a lot since then. But many of the social problems that provoked New Haven's angst during that period--injustices by police, substandard housing, gentrificaton, and racial disparity--remain unsolved.
This week, we reflect on the Black Panther trials and how New Haven is still recovering as it takes on slumlords, attempts to balance redevelopment and the need for affordable housing, and maintain the community's fragile relationship with law enforcement.
How will those issues play into mayoral races this year in New Haven and other Connecticut cities?
Meanwhile, at the state Capitol in Hartford, lawmakers have only a week left to act on many of the Democratic leadership's top priorities, including paid family medical leave and the creation of a state-subsidized health insurance option.
Will either of those bills join the newly won minimum wage hike at the finish line, or will they pushed off for another session?
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Governor Ned Lamont on Tuesday grudgingly accepted the increasingly irrefutable reality that highway toll legislation won't pass before the regular session wraps up on June 5.
Instead, he said he's devoting his next two weeks to what may be an even bigger challenge: working out a compromise with progressive Democrats over the state budget.
Proponents of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana also acknowledged this week to not having the support, even among Democratic lawmakers, to go forward this session. Some are now contemplating a way to put the issue to the state's electorate as a constitutional amendment.
How long could that take? Can a toll plan be revived in a special session later this year? Will the budget talks go into overtime as well? Those are questions we address today.
We also examine Connecticut's response to laws passed by Alabama and other states to ban or sharply curtail abortion.
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State Attorney General William Tong says his office has diagnosed an aggressive cancer eating away at America's healthcare system.
According to Tong, it's triggered by scheming executives at many of the largest pharmaceutical companies illegally working together to artificially inflate the cost of generic drugs. Forty-three other states are joining the effort spearheaded by Connecticut's AG to litigate drugmakers into a court-ordered treatment plan.
It's hardly the first lawsuit targeting the skyrocketing price of prescription medicine. This week, we make a diagnosis of our own on whether the evidence compiled by Tong's team of attorneys is damaging enough to make a dent into those costs.
We also size up the latest measures by Gov. Ned Lamont to push his highway toll plan over the finish line this legislative session.
But what about sports betting, which if made legal could be a much faster revenue generator for the state than tolls? Lamont's not giving us much hope on that happening anytime soon.
And we raise concerns over troubling attempts to intimidate the news media, both here and abroad, including a recent episode in Bridgeport that left a Hearst Connecticut Media reporter in handcuffs.
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The regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly adjourns at the stroke of midnight four weeks from tonight.
So far, none of the biggest policy goals identified early on by majority Democrats have made their way to the governor's desk for his consideration.
Not electronic highway tolls. Not legalizing recreational marijuana. Not sports betting. Not paid family and medical leave.
Even increasing the state's minimum wage, which the House of Representatives may take up later on Wednesday, has turned into a tougher battle than many expected.
This week, we take stock of the hurdles in front of these bills. And we ask what happens if none of them make it over the finish line.
We also plunge into the increasingly fierce debate over school immunization requirements. With recent measles outbreaks, is it time to end an exemption based on religious objections?
And if Connecticut is going to scrap its "Still Revolutionary" tourism campaign, what slogan should take its place? We toss around some ideas.
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For all the recent attention bestowed on Democratic Party progressives, there's new evidence so-called centrists aren't going to just fade away.
Not with former Vice President Joe Biden taking a commanding early lead over the many 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls running to his left. National polls released Tuesday cast Biden well ahead of Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and others vying for the party's nomination.
In Connecticut, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont scored his own early victory this week over progressives in the legislature clamoring for him to raise taxes on the state's wealthiest residents. The General Assembly's Finance Committee is backing away, at least temporarily, from a 2 percent capital gains tax hike for top income earners.
With weeks, if not months, of state budget negotiations, still ahead, there's plenty of time for liberals in the legislature to wrestle back momentum. The same thing goes in the presidential race. The question is where should they pick their battles.
This week, we set out to gauge where the true center lies in Democratic Party politics on issues ranging from taxes to healthcare.
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This hour, we look at how successful Governor Ned Lamont's first hundred days were, and what his plans are to create a "cost-efficient, user friendly" government. Meanwhile, he's at odds with fellow Democrats over a proposed controversal tax increase on the state's wealthy residents.Also, more allegations against Purdue Pharma - that the company and its owners promoted deadly opioid addiction. Attorney General Willam Tong says the allegations "demostrate callous indifference" with how the pharmaceutical executives approached their work.
And we look at two officer-involved shootings in Connecticut.
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Stop & Shop employees continue to strike in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, prompting some customers to fill their grocery carts elsewhere.
An anti-toll rally draws an underwhelming crowd in Hartford, despite receiving promotion from several influential radio hosts (and we're not talking about Colin McEnroe here).
And while state lawmakers debate religious exemptions for vaccines, a third measles case is confirmed in Connecticut.
This hour, we talk through some of the week’s top stories.
We also consider how a “no-drama” personna is helping Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.
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The state's desperation for new revenue is certainly fueling this year's push to legalize marijuana.But for many Democrats in the legislature, a larger goal is addressing racial injustices created by a crackdown on illegal drugs that has inordinately targeted non-whites.
A bill surviving a key vote this week ties legalization to the expungement of criminal records for those convicted of minor cannabis possesion. Now the debate shifts to whether taxes raised by legal sales should be specifically directed to urban communities most impacted by the War on Drugs.
Speaking of new revenue, Connecticut's wealthiest couple is contributing $100 million to help at-risk youth stay in school. But that too is creating a tug of war between cities and towns.
This week, we get into the weeds in these battles, as well as why Ned Lamont is backing off on some of his budget proposals, such as his bid to adjust cost-of-living increases for retired state employees.
And, could Hartford be in the running to host one of next year's presidential debates?
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There are those who hope Joe Biden, as he weighs a 2020 presidential run, hasn't lost his touch for personal connections. There are others who wish he would.
A Connecticut resident is among the two women who came forward this week with complaints that the former Democratic vice president violated their personal space when greeting them at campaign events. Amy Lappos, a former staffer for U.S. Rep Jim Himes, says Biden pulled her toward him to rub noses. As it was happening, Lappos thought Biden intended to kiss her, she says.
This week, we judge the appropriateness of the 76-year-old's ways of expressing affection on the campaign trail, and that of his response to the women's criticisms. Does he really get the message of the #MeToo movement?
It's also the dawn of a new day for Connecticut. Gov. Ned Lamont is calling for an end to the era of unguarded spending on the state's credit card. This week, the State Bond Commission gave us a taste of what a "debt diet" will mean.
Campaigning in Connecticut also may change if lawmakers pass legislation targeting candidate advertisements that use altered images of their opponents to cast them in a negative light.
We address that, as well as a bid to allow candidates to use campaign funds to cover their childcare costs.
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"Treasonous" is a word President Donald Trump is now using to describe claims that he or those in his orbit conspired with Russian officials during the 2016 election. His re-election campaign is urging television news outlets to have second thoughts about booking some of the president's harshest critics, including Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
It's all part of the counterattack by Trump and his allies now that special counsel Robert Mueller, as reported by Attorney General William Barr, has concluded his investigation without finding that "the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia."
This week, we debate whether the president's outrage is by any means justified. Blumenthal certainly doesn't think so.
We also examine new calls for the U.S. Supreme Court to address partisan gerrymandering, and for Connecticut to do away with state party conventions.
And as state lawmakers consider legalizing recreational marijuana, how much are they worrying about how cities will grapple with a potentially greater demand for more addiction treatment and other services? Live from our New Haven studio, we ponder that as well.
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As New Zealand reacts to the deadliest mass shooting in its history, the debate over guns is resurfacing here in Connecticut on many fronts.
The Connecticut Supreme Court has dealt a blow to the company that manufactures the semi-automatic rifle used in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Victims' families allowed to proceed with their lawsuit finally may be able to force Remington Arms into turning over information over how it markets such weapons.
Members of Connecticut's congressional delegation, meanwhile, are moving to block the use of federal education funds toward the arming of school teachers. And the state legislature is considering a new crop of gun bills.
This week, we take a big-picture look at what's happening.
We also hone in on legislative proposals involving the ability of individuals to make healthcare and end-of-life decisions for themselves and their family members. One is a bill to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medicine to terminally ill patients. The other seeks to prevent parents from objecting to child vaccinations on religious grounds.
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Connecticut's unemployment rate is at a 17-year low. The state has stockpiled $1.2 billion in its budget reserve fund. But it's still not in a position to go on anything resembling a spending spree.Not with state Comptroller Kevin Lembo warning lawmakers against counting on a repeat of last year's spike in tax collections. Job gains in 2018 also were not nearly as robust as initially reported. And no one can rule out the possibility of an economic downturn lurking around the corner.
This week, we take stock of the positive, and less than positive, indicators of the state's fiscal health, and what they could mean for forthcoming state budget negotiations.
Also factoring into the equation is federal funding. President Donald Trump issued his budget proposal this week. While it may be good news for Connecticut's defense industry, it's distressing to those relying on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We look at who stands to gain and lose the most.
And we discuss renewed calls for a public option health plan, bills to ban plastic bags, and the unfolding college admissions scandal that includes Yale University.
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Hundreds are expected to turn out to the state Capitol Wednesday for a public hearing on Gov. Ned Lamont's bill to install electronic tolls on Connecticut highways.But even those who favor tolls may not support another bill to create a transportation authority. Some think it would make state legislators less accountable when it comes to setting toll rates and deciding where toll gantries will be located.
Today, we examine what that proposal could mean for the state, and consider suggestions to securitize future toll revenues for upfront payments to address current budget concerns.
We also jump into the fray over legislation to allow bear hunting and encourage small towns to consider ways to move toward regional schools.
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Governor Ned Lamont has said he is open to negotiating almost everything in his budget proposal. Well, it seems like lots of people are going to take him up on his offer.State legislators on opposite sides of the political spectrum are panning Lamont's plan to raise more than $500 million by expanding the goods and services subject to the state's sales tax.
Union leaders feel slighted by his call for them to back changes to cost-of-living increases for future retired state workers.
And Lamont's push for highway tolls faces local, state, and federal hurdles.
Meanwhile, the governor's pick to lead the state's economic development efforts, David Lehman, sweated out tough questions Tuesday from Democratic lawmakers. Whether the former Goldman Sachs executive will win confirmation by the state Senate remains uncertain.
This week, we tally up the opposition to the administration's agenda.
We also delve into the concerns over state Sen. Alex Bergstein's paying for an extra legislative aide out of her own pocket. Should she be free to spend her own money in pursuit of better representing her constituents, or is it bad precedent that could give Bergstein an unfair advantage at the state Capitol?
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The honeymoon period is over for Gov. Ned Lamont. When he delivers his state budget address to lawmakers later on Wednesday, there will already be plenty of animosity among those watching.
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New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell's recently announced plans to leave the department has brought the city's budget woes into focus, as well as its contentious brand of politics.
The police department is down to 395 officers, Campbell told city alders earlier this week. That's 100 less than called for in the department's 2019 fiscal year budget, he maintained.
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President Donald Trump's State of the Union address Tuesday night was full of contrasting tones. Like when he endorsed national paid family leave for new parents, and then just seconds later, called for legislation banning late-term abortions.
Today, we break down his speech, and how well it went over or didn't go over with Congressional Democrats.
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Elections aren't for another nine or so months, but mayoral races are heating up across Connecticut. That includes those in the state's three largest cities where the top municipal leaders are Democrats, and challengers from within the party keep emerging.
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As the shutdown of nine federal departments drags into its second month, it's not only about federal government workers going without paychecks.
There has been an increase in warnings that various programs may also take a hit due to the stalemate between President Donald Trump and Democrats over border wall funding.
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The new wave of progressive Democrats, both in the Connecticut General Assembly and in Washington, D.C., isn't waiting for the 2020 election to bring about big changes.
In Connecticut, there is emboldened optimism for increasing the state's minimum wage, like Massachusetts just did and allowing early voting, like New York, which is on the verge of enacting.
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Ned Lamont has been waiting for this day for a particularly long time.
Our next governor may slip in a few new details about his specific policy goals after he takes the oath of office on Wednesday. But Inauguration Day will mostly be a time for Lamont to set the tone of his forthcoming administration.
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On his first day of the job, Gov. Ned Lamont made a lot of requests.
He requested state lawmakers to not play the "blame game" and instead confront the challenge of fixing state finances head on.
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